Visit to New Zealand

I will visit Auckland from 9 to 10 February to meet with the Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

This will be my second meeting with Mr Peters since New Zealand's general election and Minister Peters' appointment in October 2017. We will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of importance to both our countries.

Australia's relationship with New Zealand is the closest and most comprehensive of all our bilateral relationships. It is underpinned by deep and dynamic links between our peoples through family, business enterprise, cultural activity and sporting rivalry. Around 650,000 New Zealanders live in Australia, and close to 70,000 Australians live in New Zealand.

Together with nine other like-minded countries, earlier this month New Zealand and Australia concluded the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership. Our total two-way trade with New Zealand in 2016-17 was valued at $26.8 billion, with strong growth in the two-way services trade. Australian investment in New Zealand is valued at almost $107 billion and New Zealand's investment is valued at $A46.2 billion.

We share with New Zealand a commitment to the international rules-based order and to an open global trading system.

New Zealand is an essential and valuable partner in supporting economic growth, stability and security of the Pacific. Mr Peters and I will discuss how to increase our shared efforts to support Pacific Island countries to tackle development challenges and promote a stable and resilient region.