No visitor to New Zealand is welcomed more warmly than the Australian Prime Minister. This Prime Minister anyway. Few previously have called, if they called at all, in the unhurried, friendly manner of John Howard. For that we must also give credit to his host this weekend, Helen Clark. The
two leaders seem to have a rapport built on professional respect that transcends their obvious political differences and strategic disagreements.
The visit follows closely on that of the Federal Treasurer and Mr Howard's likely successor, Peter Costello, with Finance Minister Michael Cullen. Exchanges with Australia at this level have been infrequent for long periods, or one way. New Zealand ministers naturally travel to or through Australia more often then their counterparts come here. Australia, as our reporter Greg Ansley wrote yesterday, is a giant blip on Wellington's radar; New Zealand is a ping on Canberra's more cluttered screen.
The reason is not only relative size but also the success and stability of the relationship. Closer economic relations, 20 years old this year, has generally worked so well that seminars on the subject struggle to find much to talk about. People, goods and services move freely from one country to the other provided their origin is clear. The remaining tasks are to standardise business and consumer regulations so that companies can set in familiar conditions on both sides of the Tasman.
The Food Safety Authority of Australia and New Zealand is the obvious prototype. As the technical demands of safety regulations rise and public expectations of protection grow accordingly, says Trade Minister Jim Sutton, it makes sense for us to combine resources. It might also remove dishonest trade barriers such as those Australia has maintained against our apples in the name of food safety.
The Prime Ministers meet after a stormy phase in transtasman relations, mainly caused by the collapse of Ansett and the Qantas move on Air New Zealand. The rugby World Cup has not helped, either. Both leaders were careful in their comments throughout those events, especially Helen Clark when her plane was trapped by picketers at Melbourne airport. The passing tensions have done no detectable harm to New Zealanders' wish to draw closer to Australia, as witness the 41 per cent in the Herald-DigiPoll survey yesterday who favour a relationship as close as the European Union.
Since that option was offered as an alternative to political independence it may be taken that those people are not averse to some loss of sovereignty such as European Union members have accepted in currency, banking and, consequently, Government budgeting. But only 14.1 per cent of the poll wanted to unite with Australia.
Together the countries have enjoyed surprising prosperity in the past few years while the rest of the world has slumped. Australia's economy, though, has grown significantly better than ours and it now stands at 12 on the rankings of wealth a head. New Zealand is 21st. Yet anybody who opens a bank account in Australia or has to deal with its labour market knows that red tape and union protections persist there. The "lucky country" holds lessons for us yet.
At least the defence disagreements that began with the Anzus rift and persisted over public expenditure levels appear to have settled. The two countries have come to accept that they occupy slightly different positions and the world looks different from each. New Zealanders know, if they do not always acknowledge it, that we are safer for Australia's presence.
It is a pleasure to have them here for the weekend. May it be productive.
No visitor to New Zealand is welcomed more warmly than the Australian Prime Minister. This Prime Minister anyway. Few previously have called, if they called at all, in the unhurried, friendly manner of John Howard. For that we must also give credit to his host this weekend, Helen Clark. The
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