ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much for joining us. We have had a very successful discussion this morning following a week in which there's been meetings, not just of our respective ministers, but, importantly as well, meetings between the business community of Australia and New Zealand. There are no closer friends than Australia and New Zealand. And today's discussions reflected that and also reflected the reset in relations between Australia and New Zealand. We had a range of positive discussions arising out of this morning and we've released a communique. We discussed, going forward as well, a number of new decisions. One is to have annual meetings between our economic ministers and our international ministers. When we say our economic ministers, that includes climate change, so our Treasurer and Climate Ministers working on ways in which we can benefit from the innovation that will occur with the shift to clean-energy economies in our respective nations. In Foreign Affairs and also Defence issues, there will be annual meetings there as well. And we look forward to next year's discussion at leadership level, which, of course, will be the 40th anniversary of the Closer Economic Relations Agreement between Australia and New Zealand.
We worked together on ways in which we have a seamless transition. We don't want people to be temporary residents forever. And what we'll do is we'll work on ways of a pathway to citizenship with a timeline of Anzac Day 2023. We know that there have been a range of issues raised relating to citizenship. And we think those pathways and working through these issues so that people get more rights that are more consistent, whether it be Australians who have moved to New Zealand or New Zealanders moving to Australia. We want to work through these issues with all the implications that are there for full participation in our respective societies.
One of the issues that we'll look at as well unilaterally in Australia is, in New Zealand, if you're an Australian who have been a resident for a year, you have voting rights in New Zealand, you're able to participate fully in those processes. So, as part of the normal review process that occurs after a federal election in Australia, we'll be asking the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to consider whether there's a way to return to systems that have existed in the past of giving New Zealand people who are here in Australia, contributing to society, paying taxes, working, voting rights here in Australia as well. We won't pre-empt those processes. But it is, I think, a really common-sense position to at least examine over coming months. We look forward to working together next week at the Pacific Island Forum as well. We need to engage with our Pacific Island family, of which we are both a part, and engage on issues of climate change, engage on issues of security, including maritime security. We have stepped up our increasing aid that we will provide as part of the election commitments that we've made. We made a comprehensive plan for the Pacific. And it is obviously a stronger plan if we look at ways in which Australia and New Zealand can work together. And next week, I look forward to working cooperatively, not just with Jacinda but with the sovereign nations of the Pacific when we meet together in Fiji.
JACINDA ARDERN, PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: Thank you very much, Prime Minister Albanese. And Kia ora koutou katoa, ngā mihi nui kia koutoum (Hello to everyone. Thank you for the warm welcome).Thank you for the chance to come together and conduct a bit of a debrief on what was a really positive bilateral engagement between New Zealand, Australia, and some of our respective Cabinet Ministers. It was particularly auspicious for us to be here during NAIDOC Week. And I do want to acknowledge the First Nations People of Australia and the fact that the Indigenous relationship between our First Nations People has been a core part of not only our trade mission that we've undertaken here in Australia, which has been very successful, but also the ANZLF, which has been happening over the past two days, and it was a feature of our bilateral discussions today. It's fair to say there's a lot that we can do together to further economic development amongst our First Nations People, as well as the exchange of ideas around furthering relationships there too.
It has been a very successful few days for us here in Australia, across Melbourne and Sydney, as part of our trade mission. It's really highlighted to me the depth of our economic relationship but the depth of our relationship generally. Prime Minister, I felt that very much reflected in the themes that we discussed and the common ground and the shared values that we have.
In the last meeting, we described it as an opportunity for a reset in the relationship. And it felt to me today that we've established a work program now that brings to life that reset. And I want to thank you for that. First of all, you have now the commitment from both sides that we will have formal annual bilateral engagement between our ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance, and Climate Change. And I don't underestimate the value and importance and signal of the fact that we have brought the climate portfolio into those annual bilateral exchanges because it's so obvious to us that there are ways that we can work together, not only between New Zealand and Australia, but together in the work that we want to do within our own region of the Pacific to play our part and step up our role. Australia is already the source of significant direct investment into New Zealand around everything from waste management to hydrogen to wind and renewable energy generation, and here I think that there's a role for us to play in exchanging ideas as we look for innovative solutions to the climate challenges.
We also discussed, as the Prime Minister has already acknowledged, the place in Australia of New Zealanders. We've long argued that New Zealanders are Australia's best migrants. And I don't say that lightly. It's borne out by the facts. And what they contribute as taxpayers, which is a step above what you'll see in the tax contribution from others. And our ask has been for there to be a greater acknowledgement of the role that New Zealanders play here in Australia. The fact that we have, and you'll see this in our communique, agreement that no New Zealander or Australian should be rendered permanently temporary, that is a step change in the way that we've previously seen New Zealanders treated here. If you look at the Census, New Zealanders tend to translate into citizenship at a rate of about 30 per cent. For other nationalities in Australia, it's closer to 60 per cent, so that demonstrates some of the barriers that exist. And we've had a commitment to work through those issues together and we've set ourselves the ambitious timeline of having those proposals in time for Anzac Day 2023. So, I think that demonstrates the commitment we have to that piece of work.
We also talked at some length about the Prime Minister's recent visit to Ukraine. That was something I was very eager to hear from him. I was unable to visit. But before Prime Minister Albanese visited Kyiv, we did discuss how beneficial it would be to us in New Zealand if we were able to lean in on the experience and feedback that he had from that direct dialogue with President Zelenskyy. And we've been talking about how we might be able to work together in the region in the future, particularly around rebuild and reconstruction. So, thank you, Prime Minister, for your generosity in sharing those outcomes.
Obviously, we go into the Pacific Island Forum with a full commitment to the Pacific as our region, eager to hear from our neighbours around how they see the geostrategic issues facing our region presently, what role we can play on the number-one issue for our region, which is climate change, and equally how we can further strengthen the architecture around the Pacific Island Forum as a place that we bring issues, like, for instance, security-related matters. I look forward to the chance to continue that exchange and meet with our counterparts shortly. But otherwise, thank you again, Prime Minister. A very fruitful discussion on all accounts.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Questions?
JOURNALIST: One of the reasons that we haven't had a lot of New Zealanders become Australian citizens is that they haven't wanted to relinquish New Zealand citizenship. I may be wrong, but I think it's fair to say that Australia doesn’t allow dual citizenships?
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: It's not right at all. You just can't be a Member of the House of Representatives and the Senate. So, there are many, many, many dual citizens in this great multicultural nation of ours.
JOURNALIST: Previous Kiwi prime ministers have asked for a softening of the 501 policies specifically. So, where is action on that one?
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: The action is one of friends. Prime Minister Ardern has certainly not been backward in raising these issues. I can assure you from our very first meeting. 501s will continue to exist. We will continue to deport people when appropriate. But we will have some common sense apply here. Where you have a circumstance where someone has lived their entire life, effectively, in Australia with no connection whatsoever to New Zealand, common sense should apply and we will act friends and we will work through those issues in a common sense way.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: This is exactly what we have asked of Australia. We acknowledge Australia will continue to deport, as New Zealand currently does have provision and does deport those who don't have a long-term connection to New Zealand. What we have been seeking is common sense and the spirit of friendship. And that's what Prime Minister Albanese has spoken to today.
JOURNALIST: Is the Solomons and Beijing security pact on the agenda and how can you put that against security cooperation agreements destabilising the region's security?
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: First of all, I'd reflect on the fact that within the Biketawa and Boe declarations, you have agreement amongst Pacific Island members that within the PIF is a place for discussion around security agreements affecting the region. While it is for the chair to determine the agenda, I expect this will be one of the issues are raised. But it needs to be raised not just one Pacific Island Forum, let's think about going forward, as these issues continue to be raised and continue to be an issue in our region, that we perhaps have a bit more of a structure and architecture around how, as members when we meet relatively infrequently, how we make sure we are sharing with one another, discussing with these issues with one another but still maintaining our individual sovereignty.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: There is no doubt that security and security agreements will be a topic at the PIF. That is one of the reasons why I determined to attend, it is in Australia's national interest for me to do so. I'll also be putting very much Australia's national interest and our concerns about some of the developments that have occurred in the region. We know we are living in an era of strategic competition in the region. Australia's friendship and relations with a sovereign nations of the Pacific are ones of a friend, a friend that is historically played a role in the region of being a security partner of choice. We wish to remain a security partner of choice in the discussions that I've had, including with Prime Minister Sogavare. He has indicated very positively, his relationship with Australia, it is something that I look forward to discussing with all of the leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum next week.
JOURNALIST: The Pacific nations want more action on climate change. Will the Australian or New Zealand Government consider more emission cuts and further, will either nation and increase their foreign aid spending with a focus on climate change?
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Perhaps if I can say, I have had the opportunity to speak to Pacific Islands leaders, mainly on the phone, but also I have met with the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. And for every one of those discussions has begun, with two points. One, congratulations on my election. Secondly, a sense of relief that Labor, the Labor Government that I lead, is now a part of the action when it comes to climate change. They have all expressed that support for the changed position that Australia has, whether it's in the Pacific or when I have been meeting with Europe or President Biden, it's been noticed around the world, not the least in our region, that Australia is now a participant in the constructive action that is required globally to deal with the challenge of climate change. For us, it's also about the opportunity. And a part of that is about investment in infrastructure. We have a $200 million fund for infrastructure Investment in climate change. That's on top of the $525 million of additional support for development assistance in the Pacific. Some of that will also have implications for acting on climate change because part of development assistance is assisting our Pacific Island friends to transition, to have access to energy which is clean, which is sustainable, for them as well. I believe that our changed position will be very much welcomed in the Pacific. We have a clear commitment that we have a mandate for, of a floor of 43 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030. That is something that will see domestically, a massive increase in the percentage of energy produced by renewables. And it is a position as well that enables us to engage on climate change in the region, not the least of which, and something we discussed this morning, is Australia's bid to host a future Conference of the Parties on climate change, that's something that we have said. We will host, in partnership with the Pacific, as a joint bid, and I'll be having those discussions in Fiji. We intended to go ahead with the bid and how we participate and bring in Pacific Island states in order to ensure that they can be engaged and involved, is something that I believe will be welcomed.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: Look, here I would highlight again the commitments New Zealand has already made. We have also increased our ambition without nationally determined contribution increasing to 50 per cent. We already have our zero carbon legislation and goals. We've recently released our Emissions Reduction Plan with over $2 billion of funding committed at this stage to implement that plan. We have a goal to be 100 per cent renewable electricity generation by 2030, to price agricultural emissions by 2025 and have a carbon neutral public service. And when it comes to our commitments in the Pacific, we've increased climate financing to $1.3 billion and at least 50 per cent of that into the region. Now is not just about the pledge, it's now about making it happen. It's now about seeing that through into projects that are supporting our neighbours for predominantly mitigation but, where they seek it, adaptation. Now my sense is it's very much about building our ability to deliver on those programs because COVID has been prohibitive in our ability to further develop the business cases for the projects that already exist, develop additional projects to help us get some of the climate financing out the door, so it's now about delivery. We have had a bit of a head start having been in Government for a few years, but we want to continue to up our game in the region. And that's what the Pacific are looking for.
JOURNALIST: You and Australia share a lot of common issues, cost of living, skill shortages. You campaigned on boosting nurse numbers from overseas, enticing them here. Do you want nurses to move from New Zealand to Australia?
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: That's a hard no.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Our priority is to make sure that we deliver on our commitments. We are not targeting our friends in New Zealand. The truth is, we have labour exchanges all the time. We talked about, not just today, but last night as well with the business community, is how we work with our common interests. We have common challenges of skills shortages that's part of global challenges as well. What we want to do is work together so we are achieving outcomes that benefit both New Zealand and Australia rather than competing against each other. That's one of the reasons why we engaged here today so constructively.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: A great example is that we have significant large-scale infrastructure projects often on both sides of the Tasman, often there are skill sets here that are very unique, very specific, and it's not unusual for those skill sets to be shared ad hoc between countries. How can we be more coordinated in some of the work? There are tangible examples. But New Zealand and Australia are not unlike the rest of the world. There are some areas globally, be it mental health or just health practitioners generally, where you see a number of countries seeking additional skills. Australia and New Zealand amongst them, and it is in our interest to continue growing the pool.
JOURNALIST: Is this a sign that New Zealand are softening its stance on China? And Mr Albanese, do you agree with the Prime Minister that the Pacific shouldn’t pick sides?
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: The short answer is no. If you look at the context of the statement I made, it acknowledged that within our region we have had the presence of the UK, France, more broadly the EU, China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, for a number of years, the presence of multiple donors, grant funders and interests in our region is not something that arrived in the last 12 months. That's not to say the approach of each of those donors hasn't changed over time. It's true that we have seen a more assertive position from China in our region. But while our position is that we, on that basis, shouldn't suddenly say to sovereign nations that they have to pick for whom their relationships are with, we are also very clear on our values and the way we conduct those relationships. It should be the Pacific priorities first and foremost. They should be free of coercion. There should be high-quality investment and infrastructure because that's what I region deserves. And finally, New Zealand very clearly opposes the militarisation of our region. We are very clear on this. While that is our considered and strong position, for the region as a whole, we also have a position that for security issues, we should be coming together to discuss those rather than having situations where we don't have a forum for which we can put those strong views and values.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Look, I think Australia's position is very clear. That we are going through a period of strategic competition in the region, that perhaps it wasn't there a decade or more ago, that under Xi, China has changed its position. It is more forward leaning, it is more aggressive. Australia’s position is that we will continue to engage and co-operate, we want to co-operate with China where we can. But we will stand up for Australian values when we must. That's a perfectly consistent position. One of the things we are seeing is that democracies like Australia and New Zealand, when we engage in the region, there aren't strings attached. We engage because that is the right thing to do by lifting up the development of our neighbours, we have a responsibility to do that, and the more that we can co-operate on that, the greater the benefit will be. In Australia and New Zealand's case, one plus one doesn't equal two. When we work together, it equals two plus. And what I want to see in the reset of the relationship is us working together in as many ways as possible. Because we have such common interests and common values and, indeed, common populations, quite often as well. There is such a seamless move between our two nations. And that's why this relationship is so important.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: I think we have got the, we have got one more. We should be generous to Patrick on the basis of the first question.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: He gets a bonus question to New Zealand!
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: We'll call it a replacement. Shall we finish with you and come back to our Australian counterpart? Who was the final question from Australia?
JOURNALIST: This is a question for both leaders. Overnight the directors of MI5 and the FBI have given joint addresses in London, as you may be aware. They warned of the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party Government to the UK and US interests and, by extension, Australia and New Zealand as allies. Espionage inside the organisations, cyber-attacks, commercial theft on a grand scale. What's your response to that and do you agree with that assessment?
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: My response is, very brief, I was asked a similar question over what I believe may have been yesterday in a meeting. This is a meeting between those two parties. But when it comes to New Zealand's national security priorities, we are very transparent about them, they are listed on our website under the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and include foreign interference, cyber security issues, a number of other areas which have been touched upon today. But it is not a departure from the national security priorities that New Zealand already has and is very open and transparent about them.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Cyber security and foreign interference is a massive issue. And it's something that's impacting governments. It's something that's impacting the private sector as well. And we need to work with our security agencies, as we do, in defending Australia's national interests. The first part of that is identifying where issues arise. And we've done that. I think that's been done in a bipartisan way. If you look at the increased funding for the Australian Signals Directorate, for example, and the work that they do, that's absolutely critical. We live in a more insecure world. That is why we will need to, over a period of time, increase our defence spending. When we talk about defence spending, sometimes that's military hardware. But increasingly, it is in other areas of attack that Australia, both the public sector and Government but also private sector organisations, are subject to. When I've had meetings as well with private sector businesses in Australia, that's been a common theme. Ransomware, attacks, for example, are becoming more common in this country as well and it's a massive cost. It's something that, from Australian citizens right through to our national Government, we are very conscious.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: If I may, this is where we have to look beyond geographic boundaries. Even the war between Russia and Ukraine, their invasion was coupled with very much a cyber-based warfare at the same time. This was not just a traditional conflict by air, by sea and by turf. It has been coordinated with a very deliberate cyber-based attack as well. And a very considered disinformation campaign. So, increasingly, despite our geographic positioning in the world, and this is where Prime Minister Albanese's visit to Kyiv is relevant to us, we can see these issues and behaviours transcend national boundaries. We need to learn from them. We need to make sure we are incorporating them into a national security work.
JOURNALIST: With the 40th anniversary coming up, is there a clear sense of where the most significant opportunities?
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: Good question. We did have a discussion around the fact that coming into the 40th anniversary, it would be timely for us to reflect on whether or not there are options to continue to show that we are adapting and modernising our arrangements. Two clear examples, and again, we will give ourselves some time to work through some options as we come up to the 40th, I think there are two options in the digital and sustainability space. So, those other two areas I would like to do some exploration. We've good examples of existing economic instruments that New Zealand is using elsewhere. Let’s give a bit of examination as to whether that is near where we could be and reduce a bit of friction in the relationship to truly give modern life to the theme of a single economic market.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Exactly right. One of the themes that I have said that the new Government in Australia will be focusing on is productivity. And we will be convening a jobs and skills summit here in Australia with Australian-based businesses as well as unions. One of the things that came through to me last night with the ANZLF, as well as this morning, is when we talk about our respective national interest, there is so much common interest between us. The truth is that most businesses which operate on one side of the ditch operate on the other side as well. And how we get that economic benefit from growth and jobs for each other is something that we do have the opportunity to really focus on with the 40th anniversary of the CERA. And we spoke today about how important next year's gathering will be. It's in New Zealand, being hosted.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: It will be a good time.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Jacinda has promised much a better time than what we have had here.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: No, no, it will be great.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: It will be important because I think that together, we are stronger. And the economic basis of the relationship when it comes to climate change, for example, we talked very specifically, for example today about electric vehicles. They are going to be purchased by the New Zealand Government, by the Australian Government and by the respective state governments. The state we are in here now, New South Wales, to give credit where credit is due, the Perrottet Government has a very forward-leaning position in terms of government procurement and using that to drive the take-up of electric vehicles through the system. Now, if we are all competing against each other for procurement at the same time, we will end up paying more for it than if there is cooperation between Australia and New Zealand. What's more, if we are looking at the potential that I certainly see Australia having of stepping up industry policy and manufacturing in the renewable sector, then that, if it is combined across our two nations, could have a much more positive economic outcome So I really look to next year. I look forward to cooperating next week and to regular engagement with the Prime Minister. But also, I know that my Ministers are in contact with New Zealand's Ministers as well on a regular basis. So, Jim and Grant, for example, will continue to chat with each other on the phone. We are almost in the same time zones. It's much more easy for us to co-operate than it is across the other side of the world. And today's meeting was an important step in resetting the relationship and was very positive. And I look forward to it being even more positive in the future. Thanks very much.
PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: Thank you.