Introduction - mihi whakatau "Mnawa maiea te putanga o Matariki, Mnawa maiea te ariki o te rangi, Mnawa maiea re Mtahi o te Tau" "Celebrate the rising of Matariki, Celebrate the rising of the Ariki of the sky, Celebrate the rising of the New Year." This invitation to join you today marks the phase of Matariki and the beginning of the Mori New Year. Today, I want to highlight the significance of fostering partnerships in our foreign policy and collaborating to devise solutions - at home, in the Pacific, our wider region and across the globe. Foreign policy has never been more important. Our Sense of Place and What We Value For a generation or more, Aotearoa, New Zealand, has enjoyed a comparatively stable and secure world, our interests and values have been reinforced by our commitment to an International rules-based system, by being an ardent supporter of multilateralism, a defender of universal human rights, a promoter of non-proliferation and disarmament and more recently an advocate for collective action on climate change. But many of the assumptions that have underpinned our foreign policy for decades are being challenged, from globalisation to the effectiveness of some multilateral institutions to the benign nature of our Pacific neighbourhood. We have also evolved as a relatively young nation moving beyond our colonial past towards a future confidently located in and of the Pacific, articulating ourselves in a Pacific-centric way. We live in a world where the existing rules and norms are being increasingly challenged, eroded, or disregarded. A country of our size and location relies on an international rules-based system to assert our common interests of shared prosperity, peace and stability. From its earliest days - when Sir Peter Fraser signed the UN Charter on behalf of New Zealand in June 1945 - we have recognised that our well-being is closely tied to this international system: its commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity; to democratic values; to openness and transparency; to universal human rights; and to multilateralism as the best means for solving global problems. A shift to a more contested environment is unsettling for countries that benefit from the security of international rules and norms. A challenge to this system has wider ramifications contributing to poverty levels, indebtedness, conflict, economic exclusion and human rights abuses. We are also living in a world where geostrategic issues are firmly back on the diplomatic agenda. This is nowhere more apparent than in our wider home region, the Indo-Pacific. And we live in a world where concerns about resilience and economic security increasingly trump economic efficiency. Add to this the climate change crisis and environmental degradation - the future seems more uncertain. These are challenging times for small states like Aotearoa. In my speech to the Diplomatic Corps last month, I spoke of the importance of giving ourselves options in a more contested environment, whether through domestic resilience, diplomacy, development assistance, or security and defence interests. I spoke of what an independent foreign policy means in this troubled world: that we must have a robust and clear-eyed assessment of our interests and values in any given situation; and determine which tools are the right fit for our national circumstances. I made it clear that an independent foreign policy doesnotmean isolation, neutrality, or a fixed pre-determined view of how we will act on a particular issue. While we may sometimes choose to champion issues "against the odds", an independent foreign policy doesnotmean, and has never meant, "flying solo". Our Approach towards Partnering I have spoken before about how we are guided in our foreign policy by our national identity and our sense of place in the world. Our journey as a nation has been marked by challenge as we seek to reference our founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty is a symbol principles of partnership and mutual respect providing the groundwork for how we execute our foreign policy today. Both Mori and the Crown continue to evolve and grow from this partnership, and we will continue to evolve as a nationhood. Our experience in fostering bi-cultural relationships offers valuable insights to other nations grappling with similar challenges. Alongside a well-established western viewpoint of foreign policy, we are also drawing on Mori perspectives to enable a richer understanding of the shifting environment in our region. This approach aligns us closely with interests in our Pacific region, fostering a stronger resonance with our Pacific neighbours. Shared values across the Pacific such as whanaungatanga (connection), kotahitanga (common purpose), Kaitiakitanga (stewardship), and manaakitanga (reciprocity) exemplify partnerships that are substantive, reciprocal, enduring - where respect for mana is paramount - as is sovereignty. They can apply equally to relationships between individuals and peoples, as much as between countries and governments, large and small. Implicitly these values reinforce the core features of the diplomatic toolkit: relationships, equality and a notion that 'power' emanates from mutual responsibility and reciprocity - a very different way of thinking and acting. Partnerships and Relationships Matter In Good and Hard Times Partnerships and relationships are a key pou or pillar of our foreign policy. And they are essential to understanding Aotearoa, New Zealand's place in a world fraught with challenge. Partnerships act as catalysts counterbalancing our weaknesses while augmenting our strengths and influence. In a troubled world partnerships, where shared values, commitment to the multilateral system, and common agendas on climate, human rights and regional stability become increasingly treasured. But our global partnerships are not exclusively with those mirroring our views. Although the international environment may be more complicated, it does not represent "a new Cold War" or require binary choices. We engage with a broad range of global partners. We look to expand our points of commonality, minimise our points of difference, and advocate strongly for approaches that reflect our interests and values. An independent foreign policy requires nothing less. Finally, like all states, Aotearoa cannot be "Everything Everywhere All At Once". Although our small size accentuates the value of partnerships, our capacity to engage can, at times, face real constraints. With these points in mind, let me turn to some of Aotearoa New Zealand's key relationships. Australia and the Pacific Our relationship with Australia surpasses friendship. Australia is our indispensable partner. We are fortunate to have a neighbour and ally that shares almost all of our interests and wants us to succeed. We have similar histories and political institutions, and we share many values. We both have important partnerships between the Crown and Indigenous Peoples and a commitment to progress these in positive ways. Australia is our only formal ally. We are both more secure when we are working together and engaged in common cause. We are fellow advocates for regional and global rules. New Zealand has welcomed the Albanese government's progressive steps on climate change, which has allowed us to work together much more closely on this existential threat, especially in the Pacific. Our economies are deeply integrated. The Closer Economic Relations Agreement (CER), marking its 40th anniversary this year, is one of the world's most far-reaching Free Trade Agreements, and its Single Economic Market architecture is fundamental to New Zealand's economic wellbeing and stability. We're joined hands with Australia global solutions for decades, from peace deployments and military support operations to disaster response, and UN initiatives. We are both in and of the Pacific; we are committed to partnering with Pacific countries to support them in addressing the real challenges they face that are economic, environmental,