Foreign Minister Winston Peters says Phil Goff's position as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom is now "untenable" after remarks he made about Donald Trump, which he described as "deeply disappointing".
The one-time Labour leader and former senior minister was appointed to the high commission job in London in 2022 after he served two terms as Auckland mayor.
Goff made the comments on Trump in a question he posed at a live-streamed Q&A event with Finland's foreign minister Elina Valtonen, on Tuesday.
He asked the speaker: "I was re-reading Churchill's speech to the House of Commons in 1938 after the Munich Agreement, and he turned to Chamberlain, he said, ‘You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war.'
"President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?"
Goff's effective sacking from his role was first reported by The Post this morning.
'It's not the way you behave' — Winston Peters
Peters told reporters this afternoon: "We cannot have people making comments, which impinge upon our very future — no matter what the country is, whether it's Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Japan or, dare I say it, the United States."
The Foreign Minister said the comments were "seriously regrettable".
"When you are in that position — you represent the Government and the policies of the day. You're not able to free think. You are the face of New Zealand," Peters said.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Goff’s comments made his position in London “untenable”. (Source: 1News)
"It's not the way you behave as the front face of the country, diplomatically."
He did say it was a disappointing decision to have to make.
"I've worked with Phil Goff, I have known him for for a long time, I've worked in government with him, but it's just one of those seriously disappointing decisions one has to make."
On Peters' call, PM Christopher Luxon said: "It's absolutely the decision of the Foreign Minister. It's the right decision. We expect our diplomats to be, as I say, diplomatic."
Labour leader Chris Hipkins didn't want to weigh in on whether Goff should have been sacked but said the comments likely overstepped the mark.
"I don't think they were wise comments for Phil to make. I'm not going to pass judgement on whether or not that would be sufficient to remove him from the job because, ultimately, that judgement rests with only one person, and that's Winston Peters."
Peters said in a statement to 1News that Goff’s comments were "deeply disappointing.
"They do not represent the views of the New Zealand Government and make his position as High Commissioner to London untenable.
"We have asked the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bede Corry, to now work through with Mr Goff the upcoming leadership transition at the New Zealand High Commission in London."
Indigenous leaders want a royal apology, as the Government was accused of belittling the Māori King. (Source: 1News)
A spokesperson at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade gave a brief statement, saying officials were "in discussion with High Commissioner Goff about his return".
Peters said he hadn't consulted Prime Minister Christopher Luxon before making the decision to effectively sack Goff as he was the Foreign Affairs Minister.
When a reporter pointed out that Luxon was the PM, Peters hit back: "This is not juvenile time. I know he’s the Prime Minister. I made him the Prime Minister.”
Luxon said he didn't expect to be consulted on the move.
Helen Clark defends her former colleague
In May 2023, Goff attracted criticism while in his UK role after the delegation of Kīngi Tuheitia, the late-Māori King, said they felt belittled by his hospitality at an event.
Goff, a veteran politician, was a Cabinet minister under both David Lange and Helen Clark's Labour governments, later serving as the party's leader at the 2011 election, before transitioning to local politics as Auckland's mayor after his tenure as an MP.
Former prime minister Helen Clark said the reason given by Peters for the apparent sacking of her former colleague looked to be "very thin".
"This looks like a very thin excuse for sacking a highly respected former New Zealand foreign minister from his post as High Commissioner to the UK," she said in a tweet.
"I have been at Munich Security Conference recently where many draw parallels between Munich 1938 and US actions now."
This afternoon, Luxon was asked for his thoughts on the former PM's comments.
He responded: "No disrespect, but Helen Clark was prime minister in New Zealand 25 years ago. I see her opining on lots of different subjects. Winston Peters is the minister that's accountable for our foreign affairs delivery, and he made the right decision."
