John MacDonald: The Red Sea precedent NZ can't ignore

MPs are debating whether New Zealand should get involved in securing and opening up the Strait of Hormuz to shipping again.

Labour is arguing that the Government was too quick off the mark signing an international statement which expressed New Zealand's readiness to do its bit.

Labour says New Zealand needs to be weary of getting involved because of the way the U.S. might go about things.

But I think New Zealand has no choice but to get involved in securing and opening up the Strait of Hormuz to shipping again.

For two reasons.

Back in 2024, we sent six defence personnel to help out behind the scenes with U.S. and British airstrikes on bases used by Houthi Militia.

The Government decided to support America and Britain with their strikes on the Houthi Militia - which is supported by Iran- because they’d been attacking ships in the red sea in retaliation for Israel's attacks on Gaza.

Our government said at the time that it wanted to do its bit to ensure maritime security for trade purposes, because the Houthi’s attacks were having an impact on world trade.

10 percent of New Zealand’s exports and about 20 percent of the stuff we import travels through the red sea between here, the UK, Europe and North Africa.

At the time, prime minister Christopher Luxon said: “Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising.

“This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand’s long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home.”

And foreign affairs minister Winston Peters said: “these efforts support international security and the free flow of trade on which New Zealanders rely.”

At the time, I was weary of New Zealand getting involved in the red sea. For two reasons.

One reason was that we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and how long we might be involved and what else might be expected of us.

The other reason I was weary ofit;was what sort of precedent it might set.

And now, the chickens are coming home to roost on that part of it - with the precedent bit.

Because, whether we like it or not, there is no wayNewZealandcan‘thelpget theStrait ofHormuzup and running again.

We have to take part. Because, if it was good enough for us to defend trade routes back in 2024, the case is just as strong now.

If anything, the argument for getting involved in defending the oil shipping route is stronger than defending the red sea.

The other reason why I think there’s no way we can’t do our bit, is that we are so dependent on the Strait of Hormuz that it would be lame-as for us to just sit on the sidelines and watch other countries do the heavy lifting

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.