PM Post-Cab: Deportation and the TPP Signing

Photo by Alastair Thompson

Prime Minister John Key commented on the previous week's signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He stressed that it had taken seven years to reach this point and he congratulated Minister of Trade Tim Grosser on his efforts representing New Zealand at the negotiations. Key also elaborated on what his Government saw as the major benefits of the TPP: $259 million a year in tariff savings and the possibility of expansion in new and existing trade markets.

The Prime Minister announced that he will be meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull at Government House in Auckland next weekend. He indicated that the issue of deportation of New Zealand citizens will be high priority but that economic matters, Australian elections, and both countries’ involvement in the Middle East will be discussed.

On the deportation matter Key stressed the “special relationship” that New Zealand and Australia have and said there was a need for a better understanding of the issue. He added that he though the current threshold for deportation in Australia is in the wrong place and that it needs to be raised.

After his meetings with Turnbull in Auckland the Prime Minister is going to Marrakesh, Brussels and London. In Brussels he will attend several meeting with an eye to building trade relationships with European Union. In London he will be seeing British Prime Minister David Cameron and Queen Elizabeth II as well as attending “a couple of All Blacks games”. Going on previous world cup experience in Cardiff this might be wishful thinking.

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