By Elishya Perera
SYDNEY, Australia (CWBN)_The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, and her New Zealand counterpart, the Hon Nanaia Mahuta, held their biannual Foreign Minister Consultations earlier today (Dec 17).
During the meeting, which was held virtually, the ministers discussed the close cooperation between the two nations in the Indo-Pacific, and their shared interests in an “open and prosperous” region.
“We value highly our work with New Zealand to promote the rules-based international order, strengthen global institutions, and build international and regional cooperation, including through ASEAN, the East Asia Summit, APEC and the Pacific Islands Forum,” Payne said in a statement.
The parties also reaffirmed their joint commitment to support the post-pandemic economic recovery across the Pacific, and to support in obtaining access to COVID-19 vaccines for the nations within the region.
According to the statement, the parties also intend to finalise arrangements for a “two-way, quarantine-free travel across the Tasman”, which is expected to boost trade and investment, as well flow of people between the two countries.
It is also reported that Mahuta invited her Australian counterpart to visit New Zealand, once these arrangements are in place.
“The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s most important. We are whanau. We have always had a special bond that continues to benefit us both. Our economies are amongst the most integrated in the world with strong, trade, people, and investment flows. We discussed the depth of our alignment in our approach to our shared region, and agreed we are stronger together on the international stage,” New Zealand’s minister of foreign affairs said.
