Common border on talks wish list

A high-powered Australasian forum wants to see serious progress towards a common border for Australia and New Zealand by 2010.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff, who attended the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, plans to propose that the Cabinet investigate the issue.

"I think it is worth looking at the range of obstacles standing in the way of travel between the two countries and doing a cost-benefit analysis," said Mr Goff. "If the benefits outweigh the costs, that is something New Zealand and Australia should give consideration to."

The proposal, which emerged at the inaugural leadership forum in Wellington last year, was singled out by the 80 Australasian politicians, bureaucrats, business people and community representatives as an area where the two Governments needed tangible objectives and an action plan to ensure progress.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has analysed the issue but Australian Customs appears to have taken little interest.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has previously told the Herald that even a proposal for New Zealand travellers to be able to go through the Australian passport queue at Australian airports, mirroring the joint New Zealand/Australia lines at New Zealand airports, had proved too costly.

But Mr Goff indicated that a range of short-term issues such as common queues could be investigated by ministers of Immigration, Customs and Foreign Affairs. Sources suggest the issue may be put on the table at a future visit by Australian Customs Minister Chris Ellison.

People in the industry made a clear and powerful point that a million New Zealanders travelled to Australia each year and close to 900,000 Australians came here, said Mr Goff.

The goal had to be to reduce the obstacles and barriers to that trade.

The concept of a common border is somewhat further away because that would mean the need to align immigration policies, and even with a common border quarantine between New Zealand and Australia would still be needed.

Forum New Zealand co-chairman Kerry McDonald said the recommendation was important.

The movement of goods was relatively free but was made inefficient by the time spent tied up in Customs procedures on either side.

The draft action plan outlined by a forum working group calls for joint lanes at Australian airports by 2010 and standard clearance times for traded goods.

A complicating issue - the differing visa requirements for visitors from third countries - is expected to take longer to sort out.