AUSTRALIA – FOREIGN RELATIONS – NEW ZEALAND

Minister snubs US: Kiwis are closest

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 19-Mar-24

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says comments by Trade Minister Don Farrell that the US is not Australia’s closest ally are "errant and disturbing". Farrell made the remark when asked on Monday why Australia had resumed funding to Gazan aid body UNRWA when the US had not, with Farrell stating that Australia was independent, and that over the course of history, New Zealand was its closest internat­ional ally, rather than the US. Birmingham said Farrell’s statement was something he would have expected from the Greens, not a senior government minister.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Australia will miss Jacinda Ardern but trans-Tasman ties likely to stay strong

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Original article by Josh Butler
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 20-Jan-23

Former Australian diplomat Allan Behm does not expect the sudden resignation of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to have much impact on the relationship between the two nations. He says this relationship is very close and will remain so regardless of who is prime minister. However, Behm adds that it makes the relationship much more effective if the two PMs get on really well, as is the case with Anthony Albanese and Ardern. Robert Ayson from the Victoria University of Wellington says Ardern’s Labour Party would most likely have lost the upcoming election in October even if she had stayed on. He adds that the growing prospect of a change in government in NZ is unlikely to have much impact on trans-Tasman relations.

CORPORATES
NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LABOUR PARTY (NEW ZEALAND), VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON

Ardern invited to PM’s bubble

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Original article by Graham Richardson, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-May-20

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will join Australia’s national cabinet meeting on 5 May via a video link. The meeting will discuss a proposal to allow people to travel between the two countries without needing to be quarantined for 14 days. Ardern says that her country would have more to gain economically from resuming trans-Tasman travel; Australia accounted for 17.1 per cent of New Zealand’s exports in 2016. New Zealand recently eased its coronavirus lockdown restrictions, and further restrictions are expected to be lifted shortly.

CORPORATES
NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

NZ shock: losers take power

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Original article by Ean Higgins, Primrose Riordan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 20-Oct-17

Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten have congratulated incoming New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern. The Labour Party leader will form a coalition government with the support of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who has been offered the role of deputy prime minister. Labour won 46 seats in the recent election, while New Zealand First won nine. The Greens, with eight seats, may also become part of the new coalition government, ensuring it of a two-seat majority in parliament. The National Party won 56 seats and won seven per cent more of the popular vote than Labour.

CORPORATES
LABOUR PARTY (NEW ZEALAND), NEW ZEALAND FIRST PARTY, GREEN PARTY OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND, NATIONAL PARTY OF NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE