PM RUDD: Good afternoon all, the Australian Government is pleased today to welcome the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark to Canberra.
We have just met together as Prime Ministers of our two countries, we've also had an opportunity for a meeting between the Prime Minister and senior members of the Cabinet as well; the Foreign Minister; the Defence Minister as well as the Minister for Climate Change and a number of other ministers as well including the Trade Minister.
I think it's fair to say that this relationship between our two countries is as close as it gets. And I'd like to pay tribute to the previous Australian Government for it's efforts in the past to ensure that this relationship was kept in good working order. And I also would take the opportunity to extend my thanks to the Prime Minister of New Zealand for having done so over the years as well.
This is a great relationship, it's as close as it gets and it has assisted our respective national interests enormously over a long period of time.
Australia and New Zealand have worked well together in dealing with the challenges of today. What we've resolved in our discussions here in Canberra is to ensure that we work now together to deal with the challenges of tomorrow.
What are those challenges? Two of them that have loomed large in our discussions today have been the global challenge and the regional challenge of climate change and also the immediate challenges that we face in the South Pacific.
On climate change, the fact that both Australia and New Zealand now are full ratification states in relation to the Kyoto protocol means that we have an unprecedented opportunity to work closely and seamlessly globally in the international negotiations which will now take place between now and the end of the Bali road map, which concludes at the Copenhagen conference at the end of 2009. These are going to be difficult and complex negotiations for the world, difficult and complex negotiations for developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
But I think there is enormous strength to be had by our two countries working seamlessly together in these important negotiations for the future of the planet. We resolved today to work in a new partnership for the future on climate change and you will see that reflected in the combined positions we take across the many meetings which will occur across international community in the two difficult years which lie ahead.
Similarly on the South Pacific. The South Pacific presents Australia and New Zealand with great challenges for the future; challenges to be met in partnership with Pacific Island states themselves. New Zealand prides itself, and legitimately, in having had a good relationship with many, in fact most if not all the Pacific Island states going back a long period of time. Of course there are difficulties along the road.
Again our resolve today is to work together to form a new partnership between Australia and New Zealand on the South Pacific with particular focus on our development assistance cooperation arrangements with the region. Australia each year contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the region by way of development assistance cooperation. New Zealand makes a significant contribution as well. Between us there's something like a billion dollars invested on an annual basis into the big development challenges which lie in this region.
We both also are mindful of our international obligations which flow from the millennium development goals. And if we look at the millennium development goals and how they have been reflected in the achievements of many of our Pacific Island neighbours, frankly the record hasn't been one of undiluted joy. There are real problems there.
Secondly we have an interest as nation states, quite separate from our global obligations, through the millennium development goals to ensure that we maximise our development assistance dollar for the returns in primary health care, primary education and basic development across our Pacific Island partner countries. So for the future, this government of Australia looks forward to working in close partnership with the New Zealand Government; a new partnership for the future on climate change; a new partnership for the future on the South Pacific.
As I've said before, Australia and New Zealand have worked closely with one another to deal with the challenges of today. Our resolve of this meeting is to work now even more closely in dealing with the challenges of tomorrow. And those challenges are great indeed. Over to you Prime Minister.
PM CLARK: Thank you Kevin. Kevin has summarised the main areas of discussion, which began with an overall discussion about the importance of the relationship. I described it this morning on radio as being like a relationship between cousins, we do so much together and have for so long, it's a very, very deep an enduring relationship and it's important as the Prime Minister said that's it a relationship that's about tomorrow as well as about today.
I've reinforced the importance for New Zealand of the work that's been going on around the economic integration between the two economies and have been assured that that's core business for this new Australian Government as well.
We have discussed in some depth climate change; also the relationship in the Pacific and as well, begun discussions which will continue over lunch to talk about East Asia, Afghanistan and Timor-Leste.
On climate change we are absolutely delighted that Australia has ratified Kyoto. It put's us on the same page in the work we must now do; in the intense international diplomacy around reaching the post 2012 agreement. It makes a huge difference to New Zealand to have Australia in and for us to be able to combine diplomatic effort and muscle in the international negotiations
We have before our Parliament at the present time, legislation for an emissions trading scheme. It is a world first in that it covers all economic sectors and all gasses. That's in contrast with the European Union one which at this time only covers around 30 per cent of greenhouse gasses, so it's a very advanced scheme.
We are part of the international carbon action partnership, which Australia is now also coming into, which will help design the carbon trading markets of the future. And it is important that both of our countries are in there as we can have an influence in how these markets develop.
And at an official level, we are liaising very closely around ideas on emissions trading, because if we could achieve a level of compatibility between the schemes that are playing both sides of the Tasman, that would be a positive thing for the Trans-Tasman relationship.
On the South Pacific, we've talked about how we can co-ordinate closely on development assistance so that together we get the most bangs for the buck for the South Pacific. We're not competitors there, we're partners. We're partners with the Pacific and we're partners with each other and I'd be delighted to see us work even more closely on how we support Pacific development.
Australia is a very generous contributor to the Pacific. It invests a great deal of money and resources and time. And I know that there is some review of the Pacific and the Pacific policy going on in the new Australian Government, and I think it builds on very substantial contributions which have been made for a long time.
On East Asia, I've briefed the Prime Minister on how we see emerging East Asian regionalism, which stretches down as far as New Zealand and Australia, across to India and takes in the East Asian rim. We see it as an exciting development and as a table it's important that we were both as its founding members and should be able to contribute to a sense of community building in.
So it's been a very thorough two and a half hours so far. We've got another hour or so to go over lunch to pick up on issues we haven't yet had time to get to. But I'm pleased to be here. I've come to Canberra for a number of years as Prime Minister and always had a very warm reception. It's been very warm today and I look forward to working with Kevin on the many issues which our countries are jointly engaged.
PM RUDD: Thanks very much, Helen. If I could invite a question from the New Zealand media to start with.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible)
PM RUDD: We did discuss a single economic market and these are negotiations which are being progressed through our respective Treasurers and we at the Prime Ministerial level have re-affirmed our absolute political support for the successful completion of that program. It's complex, its detailed. It involves a raft of regulatory impediments which we need to knock out of the way.
The opportunities always need to be put ahead of the obstacles in my view. And having worked a bit on these things myself in the past at the interstate level in Australia, I believe we can do this effectively at an international level. So we did discuss it, Treasurers have our full political support, and we wish to see that program brought to a successful conclusion.
PM CLARK: (Inaudible) I've had assurance that the single economic market work will be core business for this new Australian Government and we very much welcome that.
For New Zealand, to have open access to this market of 20 million plus people has been enormous. We're in the 25th of year of the closer economic relationship. Trans-Tasman trade for both of us has grown at a faster rate than any other area of trade historically. So, it's a win-win for both countries, the solid support in both private sectors for this development, and I hope that at the leadership forum between Australia and New Zealand, which will take place in Wellington in two or three or four months time, that we'll get that continued momentum and backing from our private sectors as well.
JOURNALIST: Are you concerned about the labour drain from New Zealand to Australia?
PM CLARK: The reality is the Australian economy has been fuelled by a minerals extraction boom and that has sucked labour out of states which are not part of that boom to states which are and it has sucked labour out of New Zealand as well.
We do get some welcome flow back the other way, and the skilled flow it is. But New Zealand is satisfied that it's got positive net migration. We have a skilled migration policy which is serving our needs and I know from what I've long read about the profile of Kiwis in Australia, that they are the most highly employed group, the greatest participating group in the labour force, even over and above native born Australians.
JOURNALIST: With an election due in New Zealand later this year do you see any parallels with the Australian situation with Mr Rudd's election? It's been a long term Government losing popularity with a reinvigorated opposition?
PM CLARK: What I saw was the Australian Labor Government elected on policies promoted by our Government, not being part of an occupation of Iraq, coming into the international agreements on climate change and having humane labour market legislation. And I'm thrilled to see a Government elected here embracing those policies we have long stood for.
PM RUDD: I don't comment on domestic politics of other democracies like New Zealand. The people of New Zealand will sort out their own future. That's the great thing about our two countries. But I will say this about our own electoral circumstances in the last few months. It's very much a debate in this country about plans for the future. And a core part of those plans for the future deal with the challenge that we've just been speaking of, which is climate change. It effects radically the global economy. Radically the global environment. And therefore, it effects our national economies and our national environments as well. And the one thing that I've learnt as Leader of the Opposition in the past and prior to that as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs and Trade, is in my many discussions with Helen over the years in Wellington and elsewhere is that New Zealand has always been forward looking on this climate change challenge under her Prime Ministership. And that's something which I think puts New Zealand into a good space for the future and something I've been mindful of as we've approached our own international and regional obligations on climate change as well.
JOURNALIST: Mr Rudd, on another matter, what we you thinking when you agreed to have only one woman on your steering committee for the 2020 Summit? Was it an oversight or did you purposely want to make women think they weren't being represented?
PM RUDD: The key thing about the 2020 Summit is to shake the national tree to get the best ideas that are flowing from 1,000 delegates and they'll be here on 19 and 20 April, we're looking forward to that. Glyn Davis and myself talked at some length about the steering committee. People popped in and popped out, in terms of availability and non availability.
And can I just say, when I look at how each of those ten working groups, dealing with long term challenges for the nation, are going to be handled, the fact that six of the ten of those are going to be chaired by women who are members of this Ministry and this Cabinet, this Executive of this Government, I think that says all that needs to be said about our view of the contribution of women to Australia's future.
And I look forward very much to the summit. I look forward very much to the contribution of all members of that summit because the idea is to get the best ideas across the country. I am confident we are going to do that.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can we ask you collectively, Mr Rudd, there are 20 Australians who are apparently caught up in Liechtenstein tax probe. How concerned are you about high level tax evasion in Australia? And Ms Clark, are you aware of any New Zealanders that are caught up in this probe as well?
PM CLARK: I can give a very short answer and that is, no I am not. Not to say one won't pop out of the woodwork but nothing has been drawn to my attention.
PM RUDD: As operational matters concerning what happens in relation to this on Australian nationals in Liechtenstein, that is a matter for the relevant authorities. On the broader question of tax evasion, it's bottom line business for us. Tax laws of the country are there to be adhered to. It doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter what your form of occupation is, that's your first obligation. And it's not only important for preserving the public revenue, it's also very important for the country at large to have confidence that everyone is pulling their weight. Can I ask for a question now from one of our New Zealand colleagues.
JOURNALIST: Can I just go back to the immigration labour issue, because a number of Kiwis coming across here was at a 20 year high last year. Why do you think they are finding Australia so attractive at the moment?
PM RUDD: What do I think?
JOURNALIST: Yes
PM RUDD: Well you need to talk to them. I was told by the Prime Minister before that a large concentration of Kiwis coming to the country end up in the good state of Queensland. So on questions such as that, I can scarcely be asked for an independent view other than to say it is a fantastic place and who wouldn't want to go there.
Look, you know the great thing about our two countries, is just the seamlessness of it. People come, people go, and that is the path, that is the pattern as it should be for the future. And we welcome the contribution of New Zealanders to the Australian economy.
We welcome the fact that Australian exporters have such significant access to the New Zealand market. The New Zealand economy, as we were just saying, is of a significant size. It is smaller than Australia's but the fact that it is such a big destination for Australian exports, it is very important to us. So, New Zealand has interests and access to the Australian market and we have interest and access to the New Zealand market. And the way of the future will see people movements, movement of capital and movement of goods and services, moving increasingly seamlessly.
So I think this is a good thing for both our countries.
JOURNALIST: Can you both comment on the deportation yesterday of an Australian publisher from Fiji. And can you also both comment on whether there needs to be a more consultative approach to dealing with pacific nations?
PM RUDD: Well on the question of the South Pacific, building on my comments before, this represented a very large slice of our conversation this morning. There were many other topics covered, but this was a very large slice of our conversation.
Australia and New Zealand recognise that there are big challenges to be dealt with across the region and across basic development challenges. Universal education, primary health care, law and order. These are big challenges indeed.
Our resolve, coming out of today's discussions, is to build a new partnership based on even closer cooperation between our two Governments and between our respective aid agencies on how that billion dollars a year is rolled out.
As the Prime Minister said quite rightly before, both of us, accountable to our tax payers, have to be absolutely confident that we are getting the best bang for our buck possible in terms of the development yield across the region. Specifically on Fiji, the action from the Government of Fiji is to be condemned. It is unacceptable and it is an extremely disappointing development. Prime Minster.
PM CLARK: At the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting last year, Commodore Bainimarama gave a commitment to holding elections by the end of March next year. It is inconceivable that you can hold open, fair and free elections if you have media intimidation and great restraints on the freedom of expression.
That's why what happened this week with the deportation of the editor and publisher of the Fiji Sun is so deplorable. It is a backward step which doesn't give one confidence that the Fiji interim Government is serious about open, free and fair elections before the end of March ‘09.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible) apple trade dispute (Inaudible)
PM RUDD: What we have resolved is that we are either going to have apple strudel, apple crumble or apple pie for desert and we are setting up an inter-departmental committee as to the precise composition of the apple mix, the Trans-Tasman apple mix in the ingredients.
Yes we did discuss it and we are allowing our officials to continue with their detailed and protracted negotiations.
JOURNALIST: Can I ask you about Tim Costello -
PM RUDD: Last one. Yeah -
JOURNALIST: Tim Costello today suggesting that binge drinking and alcohol abuse should be part of your 2020 Summit. What is your view on suggestions that trading hours in Australian pubs and clubs should be reduced and that the number of liquor licenses, in particular, should be reduced?
PM RUDD: My views on this haven't changed since I first was asked to comment on it. And I think we have got a real problem in this country when it comes to binge drinking. You know, I don't have a lot of science to back it up, but let me tell you, as I roll around the country, if Mums and Dads are raising this with me in the supermarkets of the nation, on a regular basis, my ears prick up and say, ‘there's a problem'.
What I see happening around the streets myself is a problem. They still allow me out at night from time to time in this current job. And so, what I see is a bit of a problem too.
Therefore, when Tim says that, I say good on him. Because the whole reason why we have structured this 2020 summit is to look at long term challenges for the nation which often don't get proper and focussed national debate.
Take this one for example. Tim is responsible for co-chairing a session which deals with challenges for the community and social inclusion. I can think of no more core business for that session than how you deal with the problem of substance abuse with young people.
On the second part of your question which is the, what things might be done better in the future, I am all ears for ideas which come forth from the summit on this question.
Governments don't have the monopoly on wisdom on this and I suspect there may be a range of possible responses. Some of them may be tailored to local communities. But I am all ears as to what the community will have to say on this because it is a problem, and as a community and as a Government, we need to act.
But with most social problems, it is not just Government alone. Communities and families have to get in there and they need to work in partnership with us as well. And having said that, we have both got to zip.