Don’t forget the Paddle Ferns, while saluting Kiwi sports teams’ weekend triumphs – and please note Peters’ success in Thailand
Our sports teams did the country proud over the weekend.
Besides holding on to the America’s Cup and winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, our teams beat Aussie netballers (here in Wellington) and Indian cricketers on their home turf.
For the purposes of this post on Point of Order, they also provided Sports Minister Chris Bishop Minister with an opportunity to huff and puff and whoop “what great Kiwis we are”.
An RNZ report provides a useful record of the array of sporting accomplishments that triggered Bishop’s burst of national pride.
Its “highlights of a golden 48 hours” include –
An RNZ report provides a useful record of the array of sporting accomplishments that triggered Bishop’s burst of national pride.
Its “highlights of a golden 48 hours” include –
Canoe Polo? Yeah, we’re the best at that too
The New Zealand Paddle Ferns, our women’s senior canoe polo team, blasted their way to a 6-1 win over Italy in the final of the world championships in Deqing, China. Emma Malcolm and Tania Dugdale opened up a lead the women’s senior side never gave up, to win their second gold medal at the champs after topping the podium in 2016.
Bishop included the Paddle Ferns’ feat in a press statement that noted five national sporting teams had celebrated historic wins over the weekend.
“In New Zealand’s history there haven’t been too many sporting weekends like the one we’ve just seen, with epic wins from Team New Zealand, the White Ferns, the Black Caps, the Silver Ferns and the Paddle Ferns,” Mr Bishop says.
And:
“All in all, I think this was a weekend that will go down in New Zealand’s sporting annals. All five teams should know that their country is enormously proud of them.”
Rather than leave it to others to make the judgement, Foreign Minister Winston Peters drew attention to his own success.
He issued a press statement on Friday under the heading …
This informed us he had
“… wrapped up a successful programme of engagements in Bangkok today, where he met with Thai political and business leaders.”
Thailand was an important economic and security partner for New Zealand, Peter said.
“We are seriously focused on achieving our joint ambition of lifting our relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ by 2026,” Mr Peters says.
“High-level contact between our two countries is key to taking our relationship to the next level. That is why we have agreed to re-establish regular and substantial Foreign Minister consultations.”
“The government looks forward to hosting Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa in New Zealand for the first of these consultations “in the coming months.”
While in Thailand, Mr Peters met with Deputy Prime Minister, and Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, Thai political and business leaders, and New Zealand alumni. He also witnessed the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding between New Zealand and Thai businesses.
Thailand is the seventh member of ASEAN that Peters has visited this year.
He then flew to Jakarta to represent New Zealand at the inauguration of President-elect Prabowo Subianto.
Today, Peters issued a statement which does not include the adjective “successful”.
But we may suppose that one part of the visit, at least, was pleasurable.
the statement says:
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a visit to Indonesia, where he attended the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto.
“It was a pleasure meeting President Prabowo in Jakarta for the second time this year,” Mr Peters says.
“Indonesia is a key partner for New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific, for our security, our trade, and on regional and global issues. We look forward to working with President Prabowo and his new administration as we continue to strengthen our strong and enduring bilateral relationship.”
Mr Peters also had a number of informal engagements with other leaders in the margins of the inauguration in Jakarta.
He returns to New Zealand today.
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Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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