34301 (2026). Vanushi Walters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

34301 (2026). Vanushi Walters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does the Government consider that New Zealand has an obligation under the Rome Statute to cooperate with ICC arrest warrants issued against nationals of non-States Parties who enter New Zealand territory; if so, what steps has the Government taken to prepare for such a scenario?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: The Rome Statute requires all States Parties to cooperate fully with the Court. This includes cooperating with arrest warrants. New Zealand's International Crimes and International Criminal Court Act 2000 (The Act) provides that the Rome Statutehas force of law in New Zealand and sets out the process for handling cooperating requests from the ICC, including requests for the arrest and surrender of an individual subject to an arrest warrant.