LONG TERM GOAL 5

NEW ZEALAND‘S VOICE ON LABOUR MARKET, MIGRATION AND HUMANITARIAN ISSUES IS EFFECTIVELY HEARD ABROAD AND OUR SECURITY AND PROSPERITY INTERESTS ARE ADVANCED AND PROTECTED

CONTRIBUTING MEDIUM-TERM GOALS

• Our values and labour market and migration interests are promoted and supported through participation in a rules-based international system.
• Our international connections ensure that trade, foreign investment, and skills and knowledge transfer improve the wellbeing of our people.
• Migrants and refugees settle well and contribute to the economy and social cohesion.
• People move easily in and out of New Zealand while the integrity of our borders is maintained.

CONTEXT

New Zealand is a small player globally, and is heavily dependent on other countries for its economic prosperity and security. Despite its size and geographical isolation, New Zealand has demonstrated that it can contribute to the world economy.

New Zealand takes its role as an international citizen seriously, reflecting its emphasis on building strategic bilateral and multilateral alliances for economic and security purposes. Increasingly, our work is about managing international labour and security activities for national advantage. An ability to influence international decision-making on labour, security, and increasingly international trade labour policy ensures we make our mark in global matters that affect us.

The Department is confident that our external voice represents robust, ethical values around the labour market, migration, and humanitarian issues. We model good practices that others can benefit from.

Any contribution we can make on the international stage requires a concerted and sustained effort on a number of fronts – relationships need to be built and maintained, and New Zealand also needs to continue to perform well economically to maintain its international standing.

To build a cohesive picture of progress against this long-term goal, we will use our set of core labour market indicators. In addition, we will look at:

• ministerial satisfaction with the promotion of international interests and representation
• whether Cabinet mandates for free trade negotiations are met and Ministers are satisfied.

CONTRIBUTING MEDIUM-TERM GOALS

The relevant medium-term goals cover four interconnected aspects: international law and conventions, globalisation, security issues, and migrant and refugee acceptance and settlement.

New Zealand needs to keeps pace with global development including technological change, and to continue to explore avenues for free trade agreements that are in New Zealand’s best interests. Internal monetary and fiscal policies also need to support New Zealand’s international trade and investment interests.

While facilitating the movement of people in and out of New Zealand is important, it is also necessary to maintain the integrity of our borders. Being involved with the development of international laws and conventions is one way New Zealand can protect its security interests, as well as having its voice heard and respected.

Wealthy or relatively secure countries have a responsibility to provide a safe haven for people displaced by war or who have their basic human rights threatened. However, there is a need to balance altruism with our financial and security interests. Successful settlement policies should also enable refugees to contribute economically and socially.

Migration more generally is necessary for the creation and transfer of ideas and wealth. It is not unusual for New Zealanders to spend time overseas on working holidays. New Zealand can benefit from this long-term. New Zealand also benefits from the temporary and permanent entry of citizens from other countries as visitors, skilled workers, consumers of education services and migrants.

THE DEPARTMENT’S CONTRIBUTION

Our contribution to this goal includes work on:

• international work
• border and security
• refugees.