Gillard tipped to reach out to NZ

Julia Gillard. Photo / Getty Images

New Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is likely to make an official visit to New Zealand soon, an Australian Labor Party strategist says.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was scheduled to make his first official visit this week but that was scrapped when his party toppled him last week.

Mr Rudd's commitment to transtasman relations was never in question, but Labor strategist Bruce Hawker said on TVNZ's Q&A programme yesterday that the former PM had not managed to get over here in his 2 years in the top job largely because of his commitment to leading his country through the financial crisis.

"I think most of his focus was on the Northern Hemisphere rather than on the Southern Hemisphere."

Mr Hawker said he expected Ms Gillard would recognise New Zealand's importance as partner for Australia "and she will, I would expect, be making a trip to New Zealand at some stage in the not-so-distant future in her prime ministership because she recognises the importance of that relationship".

A more local focus was likely for the new Prime Minister now the financial crisis had eased, he said.

Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader Phil Goff have both offered congratulations to Ms Gillard on her new role, and Mr Key said there would not be any change in the transtasman relationship.

- NZPA