NZ Foreign Minister Criticises ‘Ego-Driven’ Leadership Swaps in Australia

New Zealand’s foreign minister has expressed disbelief at the latest leadership upheaval in Australian federal politics, describing the ongoing reshuffle of senior roles as “ego-driven” and destabilising for one of Australia’s closest allies.

Winston Peters said he was “aghast” at the political churn in Canberra following Angus Taylor’s move to replace Sussan Ley as Liberal leader and unveil a new shadow cabinet.

“Can I just say, as an outsider, I’m aghast,” Peters said.

He contrasted the current climate with what he described as earlier eras of stability under former prime ministers Bob Hawke and John Howard, saying those years of civility had been critical to Australia’s success.

“The churn now really is inexcusable, and the churn both in the Labor and the Liberal Party has been massive,” he said.

“In the end, you’ve got to stand back and say to those parties, what is going on with you when you think that personal ego is the most important thing to elevation?”

Peters pointed in particular to the Coalition’s frequent changes to the shadow foreign affairs portfolio. Newly appointed Liberal MP Ted O’Brien takes on the role after Michaelia Cash, David Coleman, Simon Birmingham and Marise Payne have each held the position in the past four years.

By contrast, Labor’s Penny Wong has served as foreign minister since the party’s election win in May 2022.

Peters said the constant reshuffling in Canberra made it harder to maintain strong bilateral ties between the two countries.

“It makes your job harder because you keep on getting new leaders,” he said.

In a pointed aside, the veteran New Zealand politician suggested he may not need to invest heavily in building a new working relationship with O’Brien.

“The way the polls are going, maybe not,” he said.

Australia and New Zealand have long maintained close diplomatic, defence and economic ties, with regular high-level engagement between ministers. Peters’ remarks underscore concern in Wellington that repeated leadership changes and frontbench reshuffles in Canberra risk undermining continuity in the relationship at a time of heightened regional tensions in the Pacific.

The comments come as Angus Taylor seeks to reset the Coalition’s direction with a refreshed shadow ministry, following internal shifts within the Liberal Party leadership.