KEY POINTS:
It was derided as a junket, but MPs on the controversial Speaker's trip to Eastern Europe yesterday defended their two-week sojourn as being worthwhile for New Zealand.
Last month Speaker Margaret Wilson was accompanied on a tour of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary by four MPs: Labour colleague Marian Hobbs, National MPs Brian Connell and Katherine Rich, and New Zealand First deputy leader Peter Brown.
The three women and Mr Connell are all retiring from politics this year, which sparked accusations the trip was a farewell tour for the departing MPs. However, the MPs said their trip had tangible benefits for New Zealand, such as a ¬500,000 ($1 million) trade deal and meetings with the Presidents of all three countries.
Ms Wilson said visiting the Czech Republic was productive, as that country will assume the presidency of the European Union next year and was currently setting its priorities.
"The members we met with there were interested in the fact our agricultural industry is not subsidised and expressed support for such policies, while recognising the changes they need to make within their own industry."
Climate change, New Zealand's recent free trade deal with China, and how to develop better international understandings were discussed with each country's leaders, Ms Wilson said.
Ms Hobbs said the MPs set out to make politicians, public servants and business people aware of New Zealand.
"We fleshed out their view, which was very much confined to a perspective gained from the Lord of the Rings."
Mr Brown believed the trip had pushed forward plans for improved working visa schemes with Eastern Europe, educational exchanges, and created trade opportunities, especially for wine exporters.
"There's no substitute for talking to people face to face," Mr Brown said.
"It's a question of planting acorns to get an oak tree, and you don't get them immediately."
Mr Connell was also keen to dispel the impression the tour had been a leisurely progress. "Being in a room for a series of meetings with a series of officials is nothing particularly gratifying," he said.
"It's just hard work."
Q & A
1. Was the trip overall of benefit to New Zealand? If so, can you give specific examples how?
2. Was the trip of benefit for you as an MP?
3. What were your personal highlights of the trip?
PETER BROWN
1) "We learnt a lot of information about what happens in those countries and the difficulties they face, to the degree that I now know that MMP in this country is working as well as it probably could be."
2) "It brought home the lesson that in New Zealand our problems are significant from time to time, but we haven't got the problems of some places."
3) Auschwitz concentration camp. "I didn't believe it would be so evil, but I wanted to see it, to see what it was like, to try to come to grips with what happened ... it just reinforced for me the importance of democracy."
BRIAN CONNELL
1) "The value of the tour to the taxpayer will become abundantly clear once the Speaker tables her report."
2) "I think anything that fosters relationships at government-to-government level is beneficial ... Those relationships, now that we've broken the ice, will carry on, I think."
3) Visiting the Warsaw Uprising museum. "Seeing what happened in 1944 and the hardship gives you a real insight into what makes the Polish people tick."
KATHERINE RICH
Was unable to be contacted yesterday.
MARIAN HOBBS
1) "I believe we left a positive impression of a country that it would be positive to work with, especially from inside the European Union and in questions of education exchange and trade."
2) "I was looking at economies in transition as well as social changes for their citizens, so as an MP I came away with ideas for trade opportunities.
3) "The visits to Commonwealth cemeteries in both Krakow and Prague ... and, in a different way, the visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau. I was unable to speak for almost an hour; the reality was much worse than my understanding of it."
MARGARET WILSON
1) "Europe is an important trading partner for New Zealand. The delegation had the opportunity to promote the benefits of trading with New Zealand and encouraging investment."
2) "Meeting with other Speakers to exchange experiences of how our Parliaments function was of enormous benefit ... The day we arrived in Hungary the coalition dissolved and Hungary was having its first experience of a minority government. There was much interest in our experience."
3) "Participation in the first Anzac Day commemoration in Prague ... along with the visit to Auschwitz."
