Media release
3 February, 2010
New Zealand Foreign Minister to visit Canberra
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, will visit Australia from Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 February.
I will meet Mr McCully in Canberra today, Wednesday 3 February.
The relationship between Australia and New Zealand is of great importance to both our countries. Australia’s relations with New Zealand are the closest and most comprehensive we have with any country, reflecting our shared history, geography, and common values and institutions.
The Australia-New Zealand trade and economic relationship continues to expand and deepen, with the commitment of both Prime Ministers to a single economic market.
There is a strong level of engagement between the two Governments across a very broad range of areas and a rapidly expanding two way movement of people across the Tasman. Last year, over a million Australians entered New Zealand and nearly the same number of New Zealanders entered Australia.
In order to facilitate and increase this large movement of people, new, smarter and simpler systems for travel arrangements are being implemented.
In the international arena, we share many common interests and objectives, and work particularly closely in the Pacific, including on assisting Fiji to return to democracy.
Australia and New Zealand also enjoy strong defence and security links with our defence forces and police services working closely together including in East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
I look forward to discussing with Mr McCully the range of initiatives following on from the 2009 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting, held in Cairns last August, including the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Donor Coordination.
We will also discuss other international issues of importance to both countries, including Afghanistan, East Timor, regional architecture, whaling and people smuggling.
The bilateral talks with Mr McCully are part of regular twice-yearly Australia-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ meetings, and follow on from my meeting with Mr McCully in Wellington in June 2009.
Media contacts
- Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555