1 Jul 2013

Key invites Gillard to make personal visit

10:25 pm on 1 July 2013

Prime Minister John Key has personally invited former Australian leader Julia Gillard and her partner Tim Mathieson to visit New Zealand.

Mr Key says he spoke to Ms Gillard on Sunday following her loss in a Labor Party leadership ballot to Kevin Rudd last week.

The ballot means Ms Gillard, Australia's first woman prime minister, will quit politics.

John Key says he enjoyed working with her and she had done stirling work in terms of building the relationship with New Zealand.

Mr Key says the relationship with Australia remains in good heart despite the change in leadership.