05/10/2026
Best Policy Statement We've Seen This Campaign. . . well said, Josh.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Alliance Party has released its Foreign Affairs, Defence, and International Relations Policy (https://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/2610/ForeignAffairsDefenceandInternationalRelationsPolicy.pdf), a rebuke of the USA-centric philosophy which has skewed Aotearoa New Zealand’s international relations for the better part of eighty years. Foreign Affairs and Defence spokesperson Josh Harford said that the policy is designed to cement the country’s independence in a fractious world:
“We are increasingly moving away from a unipolar world order determined by the capriciousness of American foreign policy. It is time to forge our own path, with the independence and security of our Pacific region front and centre.”
The policy emphasises internationalism, non-alignment, disarmament, and decolonisation. It includes support for a strong United Nations and the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone. It also reaffirms the Alliance Party’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr. Harford said that one basic tenet of the policy is the right to self-determination:
“Too many people around the world are subjected to rule through force. Whether it is nations under dictatorship, or independent people subjugated by another nation. We would use our voice to draw attention to these injustices. In the Middle East, we must demand self-determination for Palestinians and the right to return to their homeland.”
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“The Alliance Party is proud of New Zealand’s record as an internationalist nation. As a founding member of the United Nations, UNESCO, and much more, we have a proven track record as a fighter for peace, diplomacy, and stability around the world. We are a proud and committed advocate of the Sustainable Development Goals, and we have the opportunity to build on this record into the future.”
He also took aim at the brutal cycle of debt which he says cripples the Global South:
“Developing nations should not be trapped in cycles of debt repayment that prevent them from providing basic services, investing in their people, or developing sustainable economies. Global South debt is a leading cause of corruption, poverty, and state failure.”
“National destitution is often a direct result of colonialism and resource extraction. Developed nations, especially those who participated in exploiting other countries, have a responsibility to cancel their foreign aid debts as a form of reparation. We see the necessary link between economic and national sovereignty. One without the other is illusory, and that is as true for Aotearoa New Zealand as it is for anywhere else.”
Mr. Harford also pointed to existing US military and intelligence infrastructure in New Zealand as undermining national sovereignty:
“As we speak, our country is providing military and political intelligence that the United States uses or provides to other powerful states, enabling atrocities around the world. Tangimoana, Waihopai, Black Birch, and Wellington’s FBI Office are used to advance the hegemony of another state, with no regard for our own national interest. We pledge to immediately terminate intelligence sharing, with a view to fully demilitarising these facilities.”
