New Caledonia riots: Winston Peters admits ‘frustration’ over mercy flight permit delays

Foreign Minister Winston Peters: "We understand New Zealanders’ frustration, we’re frustrated ourselves”. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has expressed frustration over delays in obtaining the right authorisation to be able to bring more New Zealanders home from New Caledonia.

However, he has stopped short of attributing the delays to the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Noumea descended into chaos on May 13 with armed clashes between indigenous Kanak pro-independence protesters and security forces.

The clashes were sparked by anger at a proposed new law that would allow French residents who have lived there for more than 10 years to vote – which some say will weaken the Kanak vote.

Noumea’s airport, La Tontouta International, has been closed since unrest broke out. So far two groups of Kiwis have successfully been brought home from the country.

Peters told reporters today; “we just have to be patient and wait” after New Zealand was denied a permit to expatriate citizens.

“Anything we could possibly do, we’ve done, we’re all set to go, but there are some decisions which are out of our control.

“We just have to be patient and wait. We understand New Zealanders’ frustration, we’re frustrated ourselves.”

Asked whether the delays and permit issues related to Macron’s visit to New Caledonia, Peters said: “That may be a possibility, but there may be other security issues, I can’t speculate”.

Peters said he had expressed New Zealand’s frustration over the issue to France. He did not say exactly when the flight would be able to take off.

“We just have to be patient and wait ... I can assure you everything we could possibly do from the word go, we’ve set out to and that’s what our responsibilities are.”

Yesterday, a second round of Kiwis were evacuated from New Caledonia via Brisbane with the help of French forces.

The initial mercy flight landed in Auckland earlier in the week and included 50 high-priority New Zealanders. Among them were Mike and Christine Reilly from Kerikeri who said they were grateful to be back in New Zealand after a “frightening” eight days.

They had arrived in Noumea with no notice there was unrest.

“We were dropped by Air New Zealand right in the middle of it,” Mike Reilly said.

“So as soon as we got off the plane, it was going off and they didn’t say anything ... It was very, very scary getting from the airport to the hotel.”

There were about 250 New Zealanders reported to be on the island, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) said.