Infrastructure and Criminal Deportation on the Agenda for Australia-NZ Leaders Meeting

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has arrived in Australia for his inaugural trans-Tasman meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

During a press briefing in Sydney, Luxon highlighted AUKUS, security and defense matters, trade issues, and the resumption of deportations of “501s” (New Zealanders who have committed crimes in Australia) as topics he intends to address.

The most recent formal Australian and New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting (ANZLM) took place in Wellington with former Labour Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in July 2023.

This will be Luxon’s third visit to Australia as prime minister. His initial visit was a brief introductory meeting, followed by a meeting with ASEAN leaders in March.

Prior to meeting Albanese on Aug. 16, Luxon will participate in various meetings focusing on infrastructure projects. Additionally, he will deliver his first official foreign policy speech at the Lowy Institute on the evening of Aug. 15.

Infrastructure Development as a Key Focus

He is accompanied by Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop, Minister for Resources Shane Jones, and Minister for Transport Simeon Brown.

They aim to gain insights from New South Wales’ experience in executing major infrastructure projects. Apart from meeting Infrastructure New South Wales’ chair and chief executive on Aug. 15, Luxon engaged with NSW Premier Chris Minns and New Zealand engineering consultancy company Beca.

The New Zealand government is looking to establish a comparable infrastructure entity, with Luxon praising NSW as a potential model.

Luxon emphasized the need to remove politics from infrastructure projects to ensure efficient execution. He highlighted Infrastructure New South Wales’ success in achieving this goal.

Luxon expressed interest in adopting a similar approach in New Zealand and learning from economies of similar size.

The meeting between the two Prime Ministers is expected to cover various issues, including Australia’s recent decision regarding deportation policies and the advancement of the longstanding economic relationship between the two countries.

Discussions on defense matters, particularly AUKUS, and the challenges posed by regional geopolitics, including relations with India and China, are also anticipated.

Luxon and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters have advocated for utilizing the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) as a platform to address regional challenges.