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The Goomoolahra Falls are located on the Springbrook Plateau of the Gold Coast Hinterland, Gold Coast Queensland Australia. Credit: Wikipedia The Goomoolahra Falls are located on the Springbrook Plateau of the Gold Coast Hinterland, Queensland, Australia.

Australia

The relationship with Australia is New Zealand’s closest and most significant.  It is underpinned by geography and shared historical linkages, values and institutions, and substantial people-to-people links.  The relationship encompasses close cooperation, on trade and economic issues, defence and foreign policy, but also extends across the range of government activities.  Australia and New Zealand work closely on a wide variety of foreign policy and trade issues. This is particularly so in the South Pacific, East Asia and in multilateral organisations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.

This uniquely close relationship is supported by extensive bilateral political engagement, and the work of senior business, community and academic leaders, who play an important role in exploring the possibilities for further developing the already close relationship.

Migration, trade and other people-to-people linkages have also played a key role in shaping this close relationship and the robust trans-Tasman sense of identity.  This tradition continues today with almost two million short term visits across the Tasman each year.  There are also substantial resident populations of New Zealanders in Australia, and of Australians in New Zealand, furthering the substantial people-to-people links that we already share.

Trade and Economic Links

New Zealand and Australia have one of the closest and broadest economic and trading relationships of any two countries. These links are underpinned by the Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (Closer Economic Relations, or CER), and more recently by the drive to further expand trade economic integration through the ambitious Single Economic Market (SEM) agenda. More

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Political Links

The political relationship with Australia is better developed and more extensive than with any other country.  Political engagement includes a schedule of regular high-level meetings, including annual meetings of Prime Ministers, and an extensive array of other contact. More

 

Defence Links

Australia is New Zealand’s closest and most important security partner.  The two countries have a long tradition of cooperation in defence. More

 

People to People Links

People-to-people links, and the strong familial ties and friendships that go along with them, have helped to shape a robust sense of trans-Tasman identity.  Trans-Tasman freedom of movement is a key element in the Australia New Zealand relationship. More

 

Australia Information Paper

 

New Zealand representation in Australia

New Zealand has a High Commission in Canberra. We also have Consulate-General offices in Sydney and Melbourne. The New Zealand Immigrations service, Passport office, Police, Customs, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Tourism New Zealand all have a presence in the Sydney office.

 

Travel advice

Read our travel advisory for Australia [external link]

 

Common Bilateral Acronyms

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Page last updated: Monday, 09 December 2013 14:09 NZDT