The influence of Aotearoa New Zealand is rapidly expanding. While we imagine ourselves located on some isolated islands in the South Pacific we now find ourselves giving governance for 2.3% of the entire globe. New Zealand’s islands make up only 1/40 of its ocean, seabed and Antarctic territories. How can a population of less than 5 million people protect its rights and influence to what goes on in these areas. Conventional mindsets might seek to strengthen naval capacity. However the study considers ways conservation values can be co-opted to express the values by which we seek to both protect and govern this area, and to build international support for our role as kaitiaki.