Media release
Friday, 10 December 2004 - MVT97/2004
Vaile to Lead Delegation to New Zealand

Trade Minister Mark Vaile will lead Australia’s delegation to annual ministerial talks in Queenstown, New Zealand, from 10 to 11 December.

Mr Vaile will hold discussions with his New Zealand counterpart, the Minister for Trade Negotiations, Jim Sutton. Mr Vaile will be accompanied by the Minister for Agriculture, Warren Truss and the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Ian Macfarlane.

Ministers will review developments in the bilateral trade and economic relationship, including the two Governments’ Single Economic Market (SEM) initiative.

"While the CER Agreement, signed in 1983, is undoubtedly still the world’s best example of a comprehensive free trade agreement, we are not sitting on our hands,” Mr Vaile said.

“Both Governments are working hard to build two-way trade and further improve the trans-Tasman business environment.

“The CER has been an outstanding success and continues to deliver substantial business and trade gains to both countries. New Zealand is Australia’s fifth-largest market, taking 7.4 per cent of our exports, and is our seventh-largest source of imports. Australia is New Zealand’s principal trading partner, taking 22 per cent of its exports and providing 22 per cent of its imports. In 2003/04 trans-Tasman trade amounted to $17.3 billion (including $4.2 billion in services).”

Delegations from the Australian and New Zealand chapters of the Australia New Zealand Business Council (ANZBC) will also attend the meeting. Business and the ANZBC welcomed the sectoral focus first introduced at the 2002 Trade Ministers’ Meeting. This year the focus will be on wood and paper products.

Mr Vaile said the meeting would also provide an opportunity for Australia and New Zealand to re-commit to achieving a positive outcome in the Doha round of world trade talks. He said 2005 would be a busy year in the World Trade Organisation negotiations and the two countries shared a common goal of reducing trade distorting subsidies and improving market access.

ENDS

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