Published: 9:14AM Wednesday October 02, 2013 Source: ONE News
Prime Minister John Key touched down in Canberra this evening, the first foreign leader to meet the new Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on home soil.
ONE News political editor Corin Dann, travelling with Mr Key, says it is a very important meeting for Mr Key "because it is that first chance to really strike up some chemistry with Tony Abbott as Prime Minister and to see how he is going to operate in that role".
Very shortly after arriving, Mr Key headed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to lay a wreath.
"Now that of course is a real symbolic gesture and a nod towards the Anzac spirit and the bonds that are very strong between New Zealand and Australia," Dann told ONE News from Canberra.
But it is really the relationship between the two leaders that is going to be the focus of this trip, he said.
"John Key will want to ensure that we do have those annual visits which have waned a little bit at times under certain leaders," said Dann.
"Certainly under Kevin Rudd there was a sense that he wasn't so focused on New Zealand as perhaps John Howard was and Julia Gillard. So that will be a key focus for this trip."
Busy agenda
Dann said there's going to be quite a busy agenda - for New Zealand at least - for talks between the two leaders.
"I think you can expect John Key to push that issue of welfare rights for those 200,000 or so New Zealanders that are living in Australia but don't get access to welfare, don't get those voting rights.
"He will push the case for that. I wouldn't expect though to see too many gains from that," Dann said.
Mr Key earlier said he would not be holding his breath over expat Kiwis living in Australia receiving access to certain benefits and the right to naturalisation anytime soon.
Dann said climate change is another issue which is of importance to New Zealand.
The Australian Government of Tony Abbott is going to scrap the carbon tax there.
"Now that could have implications for New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme, and John Key acknowledging that they may have to take a look at that and see what the impact of that is," Dann said.
The issue which is dominating politics in Australia is asylum seekers, "Tony Abbott taking a very hard line, talking about turning back boats, even going to the likes of Indonesia and buying fishing boats to try and stop asylum seekers coming here," Dann reported.
"Now you can expect that will be discussed as a regional issue, which is something for New Zealand to consider. We of course have offered to take 150 asylum seekers as part of our overall refugee intake."
That is bound to be discussed, as is trade, Fiji and the upcoming APEC mission in Bali, our political editor said.
'A strong working relationship'
Ahead of his trip, Mr Key said Australia is New Zealand's most important relationship and he expects to enjoy a strong working relationship with Mr Abbott.
He said Australia is New Zealand's main source of foreign investment as well as the top destination for New Zealand investment abroad.
This year is the 30th anniversary of Closer Economic Relations between the two countries and Mr Key said it is a model free trade agreement which has brought enormous benefits to both countries.
"I look forward to discussing with Mr Abbott how we progress our common interest on the world stage," he said.
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