Former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna has criticised what he describes as New Zealand’s involvement in “domestic affairs,” saying disputes between the two governments should be resolved privately. Puna made the remarks after being elected president of the ruling Cook Islands Party (CIP), a role he says he took to strengthen and unify the party led by Prime Minister Mark Brown.
Puna responded to comments from New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, who has pushed Prime Minister Brown to hold an independence referendum following the Cook Islands’ February agreements with China — deals Wellington says it was not consulted on. Puna said Peters’ remarks are on the minds of Cook Islanders and stressed that the special relationship with New Zealand should be underpinned by mutual respect.
He described New Zealand’s decision to pause NZ$18.2 million (about US$10.85 million) in development funding last month as “a bit tough,” noting, however, that pausing funds was ultimately New Zealand’s decision. Puna said he would prefer the two countries to discuss “these slight complications” behind closed doors.
On the China partnerships, Puna said the Cook Islands’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is similar to a 2014 partnership New Zealand signed with China and stressed that the Cook Islands’ agreement does not include security provisions. He explained that Pacific leaders view security broadly — prioritising protection from climate change impacts rather than traditional military concerns. Puna added that he personally “would have quite happily signed” the agreements if he had been in Brown’s place.
Puna highlighted concrete benefits from relations with China, pointing to a deal to halve the cost of a NZ$6 million interisland vessel — a project he said his government had previously sought New Zealand’s help with and was refused. He also recalled earlier efforts, while prime minister, to explore United Nations membership; he said UN legal advisers had told him the Cook Islands could qualify, but New Zealand opposed the move and the idea was not pursued.
Marking 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand, Puna expressed pride in national achievements such as the international airport that unlocked tourism, and said his priority now is economic development and confidence in the next generation.
Additional context and comments
– Henry Puna brings long experience to his new party role: he is a former Cook Islands prime minister and has served as secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, giving weight to his calls for careful diplomacy.
– The bilateral strain follows Prime Minister Brown’s recent state visit to China and the signing of the strategic partnership in February. New Zealand has cited a lack of prior consultation as a key concern.
– The paused funding and public comments from New Zealand officials appear to be measures intended to press for clearer consultation on foreign-policy decisions by the Cook Islands while maintaining the long-standing free-association relationship.
Logical explanation
– Puna’s push for private talks reflects a common diplomatic instinct: leaders often prefer to defuse sensitive disputes quietly to avoid escalating public tensions that can harm cooperation and domestic stability.
– New Zealand’s funding pause functions as leverage to prompt consultation and clarification. From Wellington’s perspective, acts perceived to touch on foreign policy or security warrant consultation under the free-association framework; from Rarotonga’s view, expanding partnerships is an avenue to meet pressing development needs — especially when traditional partners cannot fully fund major infrastructure.
Summary
Henry Puna, newly elected president of the Cook Islands Party and a former prime minister and Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general, urged private diplomacy with New Zealand over tensions stemming from the Cook Islands’ recent partnership deals with China. He criticised New Zealand’s public involvement and the temporary pause of NZ$18.2 million in development aid, defended the China agreements as non-security focused and beneficial for development projects, and said his priority is strengthening the Cook Islands’ economy and unity as the nation marks 60 years of self-governance.
Hopeful perspective
Puna’s call for private dialogue and his emphasised focus on economic development and youth present an opportunity for both governments to step back from public confrontation and seek practical solutions. Quiet, respectful talks could restore trust while allowing the Cook Islands to pursue diversified partnerships that deliver tangible benefits — such as transport and climate resilience projects — to island communities.
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