35434 (2026). Vanushi Walters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Written Question

Published date: 21 Aug 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	35434 (2026)
Question asked:	06 Aug 2026
Member asking:	Vanushi Walters
Portfolio:	Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister replying:	Rt Hon Winston Peters
Answer received:	16 Aug 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_35434_2026
Document guid:	b0c2fb4b-bf22-4f44-b883-aee7054f48b2

35434 (2026). Vanushi Walters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Further to reply 33604 (2026), under what delegated authority may a New Zealand representative depart from voting instructions issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: New Zealand representatives to any multilateral body cast votes as instructed. If facts which may have been material to a decision on how to vote on a particular resolution emerge after the issuing of voting instructions, then the New Zealand representative consults MFAT officials in Wellington about what to do. That is what occurred in this case, and an abstention resulted.