Friday, September 4, 2026

NZ & Australia move closer to economic integration

NZ and Australia economy
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New Zealand and Australia have agreed to accelerate efforts to deepen their Single Economic Market, with ministers targeting regulatory barriers and the costs faced by businesses operating across the Tasman.

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay and Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell concluded the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Auckland on Friday, announcing several initiatives aimed at implementing economic integration between the two countries.

A new programme of cooperation between businesses and governments will be established to implement proposals developed by the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum.

The work will focus on reducing the cost of doing business across the Tasman, including through greater regulatory coherence and common standards. Other areas identified for closer cooperation include supply chains, climate adaptation, defence industries, space, innovation and technology.



“We have taken on board feedback from the trans-Tasman business community and look forward to working with the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum to implement their proposals,” McClay claimed.

The two countries will also increase efforts to align standards. Ministers said the number of joint trans-Tasman standards would rise by 30 percent following a new Standards Development and Distribution Agreement and Statement of Operating Procedures between Standards New Zealand and Standards Australia.

The two countries also intend to coordinate more closely on regional and international trade arrangements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), PACER Plus and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area.

The meeting also produced plans for a New Zealand trade mission to Brisbane aimed at helping Kiwi companies compete for contracts associated with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Games are expected to generate an estimated A$15 billion in investment and expenditure, potentially creating significant procurement opportunities for New Zealand businesses.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Next comes absorption as per the 1911 invitation for NZ to join Oz…
    But first, the economies must merge…
    The New Zealand Loyal Party could very well become the Australian Loyal Party; a name changed but the party platform remaining the same, and adjusted to hold Australian Laws & Politicians accountable, and to overturn the horrendous laws that are currently in place going back 20+ years in Oz..!
    Who will we send to Canberra? CERTAINLY NOT THE GLOBALIST / ZIONIST MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT UNI-PARTY!
    North Island can be renamed ‘Aotearoa’ and the South Island ‘New Zealand’ in remembrance and honour of the names used previously!
    Plan ahead, because with a global economic collapse eminent, and with a mutual defence pact needed, there can be only one way to go about this!

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