Don Brash in Australia this week

National Party Leader Don Brash heads to Australia this week, just days after the Australian Senate signed off on a Free Trade Agreement with the United States.

His itinerary includes a range of informal meetings and addresses. He also hopes to gauge the expectations of Australian business in light of the FTA.

“Clearly this has been a hugely important deal for Australia and despite the priority given by Helen Clark’s Government to achieve an FTA with the US, we are not even in the queue.

“The New Zealand Government accepts that our economy could suffer as a result of the Australian FTA. Yet it steadfastly refuses to address company tax rates or compliance issues that practically tell businesses, like Electrolux, to invest in Australia.

“It will be useful to get an early indication from Australian business groups about what they are expecting from the deal,” says Dr Brash.

While in Sydney Dr Brash will address the Foreign Correspondents Association at an afternoon function on Thursday 19 August.

He will also speak to the Trans-Tasman Business Circle later that day before heading to Melbourne, where he will address a forum of international CEOs and a public policy think-tank on Friday 20 August.

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