Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

New Zealand's stance on Fiji will not change, despite an appeal for it to "engage" with Fiji.

A consultant with the interim government made a plea on Thursday for New Zealand to lift its sanctions and have a dialogue with Fiji, rather than isolating it.

John Samy called New Zealand's attitude towards Fiji, wood-headed and folly.

He said Fiji's economy is in tatters and more than a third of its people live under the poverty line.

But a Foreign Affairs spokesperson says New Zealand has made enough efforts to engage with Fiji.

He said Mr Samy has ignored the fact New Zealand tried to engage with Fiji's interim prime minister, particularly at the Pacific Forum meeting, which Commodore Frank Bainimarama snubbed.