How Phil Goff was undone by one undiplomatic remark
The former Auckland mayor's momentary lapse in judgement has cost him his diplomatic career.
Mōrena, and welcome to The Bulletin for Friday, March 7.
In today’s edition: Wellington mayors clash on whether Wellington Water chair should go; Canadian billionaire indicates intention to oust NZME board. But first, an offhand suggestion that Donald Trump “chose dishonour” has ended Phil Goff’s stint in one of the top jobs in New Zealand diplomacy.
Peters moves fast after comment comes to light
It was only a brief question during a post-talk Q&A. In fact, as one Alex Braae, late of this parish, observed on X, Phil Goff was actually doing “more of a comment than a question”, that classic bugbear of festival audiences the world over.
Either way, Goff’s remarks about Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain and Donald Trump were enough to get him sacked as high commissioner to the UK, a job he has had since 2023. Foreign minister Winston Peters said sacking Goff was one of the most difficult things he has had to do in his whole career, but the strict requirements of Goff’s diplomatic role left him with no choice. “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. That goes double when you’re trying to stay on the good side of the notoriously thin-skinned as Donald Trump, Peters could have added (but didn’t).
What Goff said
The former Labour leader and Auckland mayor made his fateful comment during an event at Chatham House, a leading international affairs think tank. If you recognise the name, it’s likely because it has come to signify restrictions on revealing the identity behind a particular comment or quote – though sadly for Goff, most Chatham House events don’t actually follow this rule.
Following a talk by Finnish foreign minister Elina Valtonen about the challenges of dealing with neighbouring Russia, Goff said he had been re-reading Winston Churchill’s speech to the House of Commons in 1938 after the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler. “He turned to [prime minister Neville] Chamberlain, he said, ‘You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war’,” Goff said.
He went on: “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?” the Guardian’s Eva Corlett reports.
Clark and Hipkins differ on sacking
Helen Clark, Goff’s predecessor as Labour leader, tweeted that the comment looked like “a very thin excuse” for his sacking. Current leader Chris Hipkins said he understood Peters’ position. “If a politician had said those comments, I don’t think anyone would particularly bat an eyelid, but Phil Goff is currently a diplomat, and so there is a different standard for diplomats.”
Herald politics writer Audrey Young (Premium paywalled) said Goff let himself down. He would never have made the comments had he been posted to Washington DC rather than London, Young wrote. “But he should not have made them anywhere. It was a momentary lapse in judgment and he has paid a heavy but justifiable price in the circumstances.”
‘You chose dishonour, yet you will have war’
It may not be as famous as “We will fight them on the beaches”, but Winston Churchill’s 1938 speech to parliament is still remembered as one of his great pieces of oratory. At the time Churchill was a backbench MP for the Conservatives, who had been out of government since 1929. He rose to speak just days after prime minister Neville Chamberlain returned from signing the Munich Agreement which allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland, a German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia, in an effort to avoid war.
Churchill was a lone voice against the Munich Agreement – most British politicians and the public supported Chamberlain’s appeasement. However, within a year, Germany had taken over all of Czechoslovakia, proving Churchill right.
Read more:
Have thoughts? Join the conversation in the comments.
“I would love to have more money for paying off my mortgage. Other than that, I don’t think it'd change my life or my behaviour much.”
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 35-year-old IT manager explains her approach to spending and saving. Read this week's Cost of Being here.
Wellington mayors clash on whether Wellington Water chair should go
Wellington mayor Tory Whanau and most of the city's councillors have officially called for Wellington Water (WW) chair Nick Leggett to be removed. They’re all signatories to a letter that also asks for a refund for ratepayers – or discounted rates on future work – from contractors who overcharged WW, along with a suite of other measures. One local politician who is backing Leggett all the way is Porirua mayor Anita Baker. She tells The Post (paywalled) that Wellington City Council’s “proposed kangaroo court is a disgrace, bypassing the proper regional processes to pursue a vendetta against Wellington Water board members and deflect blame for their own part in creating this mess”.
Canadian billionaire indicates intention to oust NZME board
A senior NZME staff member says employees are “terrified” by the prospect of a board takeover by James Grenon, a Canadian billionaire with seemingly strong views on trans rights, vaccines and te Tiriti, The Spinoff’s Duncan Greive reports. After amassing an almost 10% shareholding in NZME, which owns the NZ Herald and around half of the country’s radio stations, Grenon has stated his intention to force out the current board members and replace them with his own picks. “While this is not technically a hostile takeover of our most important news company, it certainly has a hostility about it in the desire to empty the board,” says Greive. “There is plenty to emerge on this one – but it appears NZME is under attack.”
More reading and listening:
Emergency pod: A revolution at NZME? (The Fold podcast)
Who is James Grenon? (Stuff)
Join us at The Spinoff Book Club
The best way to enjoy a book is by yourself, the second best way is with a theatre full of people. Books editor Claire Mabey will lead a conversation with avid writers and readers Duncan Sarkies, Carl Shuker, Courtney Johnston and more. Join us to hear about their favourites, their recommendations, and what to look out for in the year to come.
Shock and Orr
Adrian Orr resigned as Reserve Bank Governor this week after seven years in the job, but three years early, effective immediately and without explanation. Bernard Hickey talks in an emergency edition of When The Facts Change with NZ Initiative executive director Oliver Hartwich, an Orr critic, about his legacy and how his replacement should change the bank, and with Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr about Orr’s operation of monetary policy.
Click and Collect
Greg Foran has resigned as CEO of Air New Zealand but will stay on until October. He took on the role in early 2020, replacing Christopher Luxon. (NZ Herald)
Donald Trump has announced yet another u-turn on tariffs, this time a month-long postponement of his 25% tariff on most goods from Mexico. (AP)
Government work on lobbying reform appears to have ground to a standstill, two years after it began. (Newsroom)
Ben Gatting, who just did all 11 Great Walks back-to-back, ranks them from best to worst. Lyric Waiwiri-Smith shares what she's learned from 80 hours of treaty principles bill hearings. After a slew of resignations, Toby Manhire wonders if everyone's taking the new Tourism NZ slogan too literally. Duncan Greive reports on the shareholder mutiny brewing at the company which owns the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB. Geopolitics experts Alexander Gillespie and Robert Patman explain why Trump's Ukraine U-turn is a fork in the road for New Zealand. For Echo Chamber, Joel MacManus argues that Winston Peters, one of parliament's great quippers, is losing his edge. After Adrian Orr's shock exit, Bernard Hickey asks what the stakes are for the NZ economy. And Hera Lindsay Bird advises a reader who regrets convincing their partner to move to London.
Thanks for reading. Want to get in touch? Join the conversation in the Substack comments section below or via email at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz if you have any feedback on today’s top stories (or anything else in the news).
If you liked what you read today, share The Bulletin with friends, family and colleagues.
Phil Goff did nothing but suggest that the emperor has no clothes. It's refreshing to hear a politician like Goff make a valid point about trump in contrast to the sane-washing we hear in major media and from ring kissing politicians.
Phil Goff may have sacrificed his job but his point should have been out there long ago. Trump wins with his bullying tactics, lies and irrational behaviour because those in positions of influence do not want to cross him for fear of retaliation.