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Is there a standing instruction or practice governing advice to the Office of the Prime Minister about formal representations by foreign missions, if so, was it followed in respect of the representations lodged by the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand on 30 July 2026?

Answered Question 35711 (2026)
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Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • Is there a standing instruction or practice governing advice to the Office of the Prime Minister about formal representations by foreign missions, if so, was it followed in respect of the representations lodged by the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand on 30 July 2026?

Answered by

Rt Hon Winston Peters

List MP · NZ First · Minister of Foreign Affairs

Answer

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade seconds Ministry staff into the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Offices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Trade and Investment, Minister for Climate Change and Minister of State for Trade and Investment. MFAT secondees in ministerial offices will convey information to the MFAT secondees in DPMC, when they judge that it may be important for the Prime Minister to be advised on a particular issue. The MFAT secondees in DPMC will then decide on whether that information needs to be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office. In the case of these 30 July representations, the MFAT secondees in OMFA and DPMC did communicate on this matter.