It might have been a fleeting visit to the Waikato, but Australian high commissioner Harinder Sidhu found success and innovation everywhere she went. Senior writer Mary Anne Gill caught up with her for this exclusive interview.
Visiting Tatua Dairy Company’s factory at State Highway 26, Tatuanui was another highlight. Whipped cream in a can is the company’s top seller in Australia. From left Luke Barber, Third Secretary – Australian High Commissioner, Eric Morrison, general manager, Marketing and Sales, Brendhan Greaney, chief executive – both Tatua Co-op and Rob Finlayson, Business Development and Relationship Manager – Waikato Chamber of Commerce. Photo: Supplied.
Energy, optimism and innovation.
Three words Australian career diplomat Harinder Sidhu used to describe Waikato businesses after spending two days in the region last month.
The whirlwind visit started at Waikato University following by tours of Visy, Tatua Co-Op Dairy Company, Hamilton City Council, Gallagher Group, Tira, Everest Group and finished with a trip to Andrew Flay’s Te Awamutu dairy farm with Fonterra.
“I need to understand the country. You can’t sit in the capital city,” she said.
“You’ve got to get out and see the place. What I’ve been struck by in the Waikato, is the sense of energy and optimism. There’s a lot more activity and energy here than I’ve seen in other parts of the country.”
G’day: Visiting Australian-owned Visy at Hamilton Airport, High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu met operations manager Jason Boyle. Photo: Supplied.
High praise indeed from one of Australia’s most experienced diplomats who three weeks before her visit became a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours List for her “significant service to public administration and to foreign affairs.”
Sidhu was born in Singapore to parents of Indian heritage and the family moved to Australia when she was 10.
She studied law and economics at the University of Sydney and graduated in 1987, then decided she wanted to spread her wings a bit.
“The one thing I have been driven by is a desire to make a difference and a desire to serve.”
She says that comes from her Sikh religion where one of the key tenets of faith is to serve the community you are in.
She spotted a poster calling for people interested in a career in diplomacy and applied. It was a lengthy process and the further she got into it, the more amazed her parents became.
She went to Egypt when she was 23 to learn Arabic for two years and had her first posting in Damascus. Next came Moscow where her daughter, now in her early 30s and living in Australia, attended a Russian kindergarten.
To be a good diplomat Sidhu says you have to learn every part of the business, start at the ground floor and learn on the job.
“You have to be humble enough to fit in another culture and not judge it. It’s more about understanding than judging.”
Australian High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu in Morrinsville. Photo: Supplied
One way of doing that is to learn the languages. Sidhu, who speaks seven languages, including Māori and Russian, says learning a country’s language is the most respectful thing you can do.
“If you can really understand that country and look at it through the eyes of people and you can fit in, it is such a different experience and you actually deliver much more value to your people and your government.”
In 2016, she was appointed the high commissioner in India after working as a senior public servant on two big public policy changes – establishing Australia’s counter-terrorism frameworks post 9/11 and designing and delivering a policy solution to climate change.
Two years ago, came the New Zealand appointment. It is not a political appointment, so she is expected to serve a three or four year term.
Sidhu has been watching New Zealand’s post Covid recovery with interest noting it has been more challenging than other places she has visited.
“I’m really quite impressed by the tenacity and perseverance of New Zealand businesses.”
Australia is New Zealand’s second largest trading partner – China is first – but our largest source of investment.
“Our economies are not dissimilar. What works here is bound to work in Australia.”
“You can drop a Kiwi anywhere into the Australian system and they’d be up and running.”
When she briefly visited Waikato last year, she realised she wanted to see more. Up stepped the Waikato Chamber of Commerce.
Down on the farm: Harinder Sidhu needed her red band gumboots for a visit to Te Awamutu. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Chamber chair Senga Allen said trade lay at the heart of closer economic relations and trading with Australia so linking Sidhu up with Waikato made good business sense.
“Introducing Her Excellency to several Waikato companies will pave the way for introductions to Australian companies interested in what we produce, what they could invest in and what we can buy from them,” said Allen.
Sidhu was impressed by Waikato business’s innovation.
“Tatua is so clever. They had such a clever marketing strategy. Supply the niches in scale using product innovation.”
Gallaghers’ focus on quality and values instead of cutting corners while being thoughtful and innovative was also a significant take out.
She also visited Australian privately owned packaging and recycling company Visy at its $100 million factory on 8.5 hectares at Hamilton Airport.
“Here’s what I love about Australian companies, they invest, they hire Kiwis from top to bottom and embed themselves in the New Zealand system.
Sidhu packed a pair of Skellerup red band gumboots for her trip to a Fonterra-supplied dairy farm south of Te Awamutu.
There she saw Andrew Flay’s 379 cows have their afternoon milking session.
And with that she was gone, vowing to be back if she could for Fieldays in June.
Australian High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu with Waikato Chamber of Commerce chair Senga Allen at Innovation Park in Hamilton. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
