Today I met with New Zealand's Minister for Finance the Hon Nicola Willis MP for a productive discussion on a range of shared economic priorities.
We want to build even closer ties with one of our closest neighbours because we know that's mutually beneficial for our people, our communities and our economies.
Over a meeting that covered the global economic outlook, the energy transformation and our shared future in the Pacific, we agreed:
- To work closely together on banking solutions for the Pacific, including through the Pacific Banking Forum;
- To look at ways to align regulatory standards when it comes to net zero technology under the Single Economic Market Agenda;
- That Minister Bowen and I would welcome our counterparts to Australia in mid‑2024 for the next Australia‑New Zealand Climate and Finance 2+2 Dialogue;
While in Sydney, Minister Willis and I will today appear together at the Australian Banking Association and Trans‑Tasman Business Circle Economic Forecast 2024 event.
Australia and New Zealand have an enduring, close, and special relationship, and we want to ensure this next 40 years of Closer Economic Relations are even more fruitful than the first 40.
We're doing this by working together on our shared economic and regional challenges, including modernising the Single Economic Framework, and by partnering on the big opportunities on offer in the transformation to cleaner, cheaper energy - important work that is continuing under the Luxon and Albanese governments.
I look forward to advancing this work with Minister Willis, to strengthen our economic ties as we seek to maximise the opportunities of the special relationship we share with New Zealand.
