The former head of Oxfam New Zealand , Barry Coates, says New Zealand should tread carefully with a newly-created high level diplomatic role for the region.

The country’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully has offered the ambassador level position focusing on fisheries to a senior opposition MP and former Maori Fisheries Commission chair, Shane Jones.

Coates says it is unclear what role Jones can play given the number of existing initiatives to conserve fish stocks and increase returns for countries in the region.

He says Pacific island countries have choices in development partners now and New Zealand needs to be careful about the way it builds relationships with its neighbours.

“We’ve got to show respect and although Shane Jones obviously has good qualifications in fisheries, I think it would be useful to make sure our diplomatic initiatives are well-connected.”

However, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand’s new regional diplomatic job could “change the fortunes” of the Pacific.

He says he offered the ambassador-level role at the beginning of the year to the senior opposition MP who announced this week he would quit parliament.

Jones says he is hammering out the details of the new role which McCully says would entail making the most of opportunities from fisheries, agriculture and tourism in the Pacific.

McCully said: “We’re putting more money in. But money alone doesn’t solve these problems. There’s some diplomacy, some leadership, some advocacy that’s required.

“I’m very excited by the possibility we might get someone of Shane Jones’ experience, commercial skills and standing.”

Jones says he would bring wide experience and passion to his new ambassador-level role focusing on Pacific fisheries.

He says he’s still hammering out the details of the job after this week’s surprise announcement he is quitting parliament.

He says his chairing of the Maori Fisheries Commission and the company Sealord before entering parliament puts him in a good position to add value to the role.

“New Zealand’s influence in the fisheries in terms of the Pacific has subsided as the number of vessels has dropped – but look, as the details are hammered out I’m sure we’ll find ways to be more constructive.”

Jones says New Zealand can punch above its weight but there’s no question about being overbearing on issues affecting the Pacific.

Jones has defended his decision to leave party politics and says he’s not a ‘sellout’ for leaving the Labour party to take up a position created by the National-led Government.

The MP blindsided his Labour Party colleagues by announcing he intended to quit politics just months out from the election, saying he did not believe he could give 100 per cent to his role any more despite being Labour’s big impact player over the past few months.

McCully confirmed he had shoulder-tapped Jones this year to ask him to consider taking a new role working on New Zealand’s economic development aid programme across the Pacific and in other small developing countries.

He knew Jones well from frequent delegations to the Pacific and said his experience on the Maori Fisheries Commission and commercial background fitted the role perfectly.

He said Jones would also play a role in New Zealand’s bid for the Security Council and the Small Island Developing Nations meeting in Samoa this year.

Despite his successes, Jones’ political career was blighted by controversy.

In 2009, the release of ministerial credit card details showed he had been using his to watch pornography in hotel rooms although he had repaid the amounts in question.

Pacific journalist and media observer Michael Field says on his Facebook site it is difficult to see how Jones is going to make much difference in the Pacific.

“The Pacific nations are already heavily engaged in trying to make money out of fisheries and will find, perhaps, all this patronising and condescending that McCully is sending his man in.

“Imagine the drama if Australia appointed an ambassador to help New Zealand make more from fishing?

“And the fact is New Zealand is a competitor in the fishing industry in the Pacific – our companies are plundering the region and will have no interest in paying more.

“As it is Pacific fisheries is in a disastrous state and Shane Jones and Murray McCully will not make much difference.

“As a postscript Jones says his trip to the Pacific (which I was on) changed his life – he was deeply affected by Tarawa and its conditions.

“I travelled with him around the Pacific, he seemed no more insightful than the average tourist.

“Perhaps this is all for the best – but the real question is whether New Zealand aid is now being used as a political grab-bag – as it has been this week.”