NZ's Goff to visit Niue during Pacific trip

Alofi (Niue Economic Review/PINA Nius Online) – New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff will visit Niue on December 9 and 10 during the final leg of a familiarization tour of the South Pacific.

Accompanying Mr. Goff will be around 40 MP’s including Alliance deputy leader Sandra Lee and NZ First leader Winston Peters and non governmental officials.

It’s the first time Goff has visited Niue. Niue was a former island territory annexed to NZ in 1901 and gained self government in free association with New Zealand in October 1974.

The island is totally dependent on New Zealand aid which is slowly being reduced forcing the government to look at other means of generating income.

Premier Sani Lakatani will not be present to welcome Goff. He will be at graduation ceremonies in the South Pacific in his capacity as Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific.

Goff’s group is expected to look at tourism initiatives funded by New Zealand aid money as well as agriculture projects.

Niue is facing a critical phase of economic development and a joint consultative committee made up of officials from New Zealand and Niue are discussing the island’s future constitutional relationship with Wellington.

Niueans are New Zealand citizens and have the right of free entry. There are around 18,000 Niueans living in New Zealand and 1700 on the island. A dwindling population and lack of employment opportunities is forcing young people to migrate.

A recent survey conducted among residents on the 260 sq km raised coral atoll 500kms east on Tonga indicated that most people favored continuing self government although there was support for re-integration with New Zealand.

The Niue Constitution Review Committee has recently been in New Zealand and Australia to discuss future governance with Niueans in those countries and a small team went to the Chatham Islands to see how a regional council operated within the New Zealand electorate.