24 Aug 2009

NZ, Australia to jointly promote trade overseas

8:03 am on 24 August 2009

In a further sign New Zealand and Australia are coming closer together, both governments have ordered their trade promotion agencies to set up joint offices overseas.

The idea of the two countries collaborating on trade promotion was raised at the Australia-New Zealand leadership forum last year.

Finance Minister Bill English says the move now has strong political support.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has made it clear this is the path ahead, as has New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, Mr English says.

Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee says New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has already begun talking to its Australian counterpart, AusTrade, about how the idea could work.

An office is likely to be set up in a location in South-East Asia first as a test run.

Mr English says it will be a challenge to get the two trade promotion agencies to co-operate.

Last week, the New Zealand and Australian prime ministers agreed to investigate setting up a joint Anzac army contingent.