Prime Minister Julia Gillard will confer an honorary Order of Australia on the Hon. Hugh Templeton in Wellington today for his role in establishing the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA).
Mr Templeton was Minister of Revenue (1977 - 1982) and Minister for Trade and Industry (1981 - 1984) and played a leading role in developing stronger investment ties between Australia and New Zealand.
Honorary Orders of Australia are sometimes conferred on people such as Mr Templeton, who are not Australian citizens, in recognition of extraordinary achievement.
Mr Templeton's determination in advocating for closer economic relations between Australia and New Zealand saw the historic establishment of ANZCERTA in 1983. The agreement is one of the cornerstones of our bilateral relationship.
ANZCERTA has provided the basis for trans-Tasman economic development and integration since it came into effect in 1983 and is regarded as a gold standard in trade liberalisation. Two-way goods trade between Australia and New Zealand has grown by over eight per cent annually since 1983.
Since leaving Parliament, Mr Templeton has remained active on trans-Tasman issues.