DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, will visit Wellington, New Zealand this week.

During his visit the Deputy Prime Minister will meet with his counterparts, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Minister of Defence, the Hon Andrew Little, and Minister of Finance, the Hon Grant Robertson.

Australia and New Zealand are close partners in the region – bound together by history and geography, the close relationship between our peoples, and the enduring spirit of ANZAC.

These meetings reinforce the strength of the Australia-New Zealand Defence partnership.

We will discuss opportunities to enhance the strategic focus of the relationship and how together we can help achieve better outcomes for our region.

Australia and New Zealand share values and an ambition for a secure, stable and prosperous Pacific region.

Australia is committed to working with New Zealand to respond to challenges in the Pacific, including mitigating the effects of climate change, and strengthening maritime security to support the Pacific Family.

We have an ambitious agenda to deepen our defence cooperation to ensure we remain capable and effective in responding to our region’s multi-faceted security challenges.

This meeting will be followed by an inaugural Foreign and Defence Ministers 2+2 meeting in June this year.

Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

“This visit will build on Australia and New Zealand’s shared security interests, long-standing links between our peoples and the enduring spirit of ANZAC.”

“As our region is being reshaped, our partnership is more important than ever. We will continue to ensure our bilateral engagement is responsive and fit-for-purpose.”

5 APRIL 2023

MEDIA NOTE:

Media can access imagery of https://images.defence.gov.au/S20230763.

MEDIA CONTACT:

OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, RICHARD MARLES MP

dpm.media@defence.gov.au

02 6277 7800

Defence Media: media@defence.gov.au