Short history of New Zealand diplomats

Intimidating with integrity... kind of

In 1980, seven years before Sitiveni Rabuka seized power in Fiji, the newly appointed New Zealand High Commissioner in Suva, Michael Powles, took up his post and had an early shock. It formed the basis of what was to be a succession of quiet warnings to Wellington that Fiji was headed toward political turmoil and violence.

In a newly published official history of Aotearoa New Zealand’s foreign service, the incident is described: 

‘After he was posted to Suva, Powles had a 1980 encounter with an intoxicated Fijian minister who confided a fear that Indo-Fijians would “rob us of our land and everything else”, before whispering, “If only the Australians and you and maybe the Brits would turn your backs for 24 hours, we would solve the problem” before running a finger across Powles’ throat.’

The point of publishing that story in New Zealand’s Foreign Service; A history, edited by Ian McGibbon, was to underline how the country’s diplomats warned of what was coming but were overlooked by Wellington’s political bosses.

Aotearoa’s finest diplomacy: negotiating peace in Bougainville, 1998. Photo Michael Field

Rabuka’s two 1987 coups are described in the book ‘as the most complex challenge ever to New Zealand foreign policy in the South Pacific’. One quoted official says Rabuka’s coups took the ministry completely by surprise. The book suggests New Zealand diplomats were preoccupied with new prime minister Timoci Bavadra and did not notice Rabuka plotting.  Another high commissioner, Rod Gates, had, however, picked up on the Powles’ warnings too and in the book ‘recalls open speculation over whether racial tension would “turn nasty”, noting that the coup was “a shock but not a surprise”.’