The Treasury note to Cullen on the Peters' budget bid makes it clear that MFAT intends to expand beyond the announced new posts in Brisbane, Melbourne and Stockholm.
Funding will be allocated to: offset current cost pressures; increase staff by 272
full time equivalent staff over five years – a 47% increase (including 180
additional New Zealand based policy staff); and open three new MFAT posts in
Melbourne, Brisbane, and Stockholm in the short term. MFAT also intends to
open posts in
[Information deleted in order not to prejudice the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand].
Where should these posts go?
What do readers think? Our own vote would go for Sri Lanka (a major market and an important source of skilled migrants - particularly in the medical professions) and Israel (where we sell hardly anything but from whom we could learn heaps in terms of venture capital, high tech start ups and entrepreneurial training in schools). Pakistan is another possibility given the instability in the region (plus trade potential). Pakistan has a High Commissioner based in Wellington so there will be pressure to reciprocate. Dublin also has appeal, again to force greater contact and to ensure we are learning the latest on the Irish economic miracle.
We suspect that Pakistan will be on the MFAT list that was deleted in order not to prejudice the international relations of the Government of New Zealand. MFAT would love another post in Europe but would they get away with this?
Looking forward to all comments...
