Foreign Minister includes own adviser among five new diplomatic appointments
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has appointed his former chief of staff, Jon Johansson, as the Ambassador to Sweden among five new diplomatic postings. The appointments have drawn attention due to the political background of the appointees and past criticisms regarding political patronage in diplomacy.
Why it matters
The appointments highlight ongoing debates about the professionalization of diplomatic services versus the use of political appointees in international relations.
The foreign minister has made five new diplomatic appointments - including his own ministerial adviser and former chief of staff Jon Johansson as the Ambassador to Sweden.
The other appointments are Tāne Waetford as Ambassador to Colombia, Melanie Roberts as High Commissioner to Niue, Stephen Wong as Ambassador to Timor-Leste, and Brad Burgess as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Johansson taught at Victoria University for 17 years, and served as Winston Peters' chief of staff then-senior specialist ministerial adviser in the 2017-20 and 23-26 parliamentary terms.
Peters described him as a "political scientist specialising in political leadership" saying he had "worked the past quarter-century at the intersection of New Zealand politics, media, public service and foreign policy", before acknowledging his roles as Peters' staffer.
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