PM and Ministers to visit Australia

Prime Minister John Key will travel to Sydney from 6 to 8 February 2014 to meet with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

“Australia is New Zealand’s closest international partner and our relationship is vitally important to New Zealand’s trade and economic interests,” says Mr Key.

“I am looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister Abbott again and building on the close working relationship that has developed between our two Governments.

“It will be an opportunity to thank him in person for inviting New Zealand to join the G20 meetings, which Australia is hosting this year, and discuss our joint response to the New Zealand and Australian Productivity Commissions’ report.”

Mr Key will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and five other Ministers – Steven Joyce, Judith Collins, Tony Ryall, Amy Adams and Michael Woodhouse. Mr Key will join with Prime Minister Abbott to chair a joint meeting of Cabinet Ministers.

“The joint meeting of Cabinet Ministers is a good opportunity to set the agenda for the trans-Tasman relationship, and allows Ministers to engage directly with their counterparts on a range of issues and identify areas where we can build on our close cooperation.

“I will also be joined by a sizable New Zealand business delegation. Their participation recognises the important role two-way trade and investment plays in the relationship between our countries and the integrated nature of our economies under our Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement,” says Mr Key.

It is the third time since 2009 the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia have convened a joint meeting of senior Cabinet Ministers.