The Labour foreign affairs spokesperson, Phil Goff, says the Government has eased its sanctions against the coup administration in Fiji because it fears being isolated by Australia.
And the Green Party's foreign affairs spokesperson, Kennedy Graham, also says the Government is moving too quickly to ease sanctions on Fiji.
The relaxation of sanctions - despite opponents of the military regime saying the government of Frank Bainimarama is still repressive - follows a signal from the incoming Australian Government that it will change its stance on Fiji.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, says that New Zealand makes its own foreign policy decisions, but he concedes that there has been a trans-Tasman dis-connect on Fiji.
Australia has not imposed sanctions against sports teams, and Mr McCully says that New Zealand will loosen its rules in this area.
There have been trans-Tasman discussions about how other sanctions can be better aligned, to recognise Fiji's progress towards free and fair elections, Mr McCully says.
But Mr Goff says Fiji has not yet delivered free and fair elections, and the Government needs to send a clear message to the regime that if it goes back on its promises there will be consequences.
And Mr Graham says that free and fair elections will only be beginning of a true return to democracy for Fiji.
He is challenging Murray McCully to call on Frank Bainimarama to not run in next year's election.
In Suva, the head of the school of government, development, and international affairs at the University of the South Pacific, Professor Vijay Naidu says many Fijians are keen to see a focus on making a new constitution, but at the same time people want the coup administration encouraged to make democratic changes.
Listen to Professor Vijay Naidu