Deputy Prime Minister Visit To Australia

Rt Hon Winston
Peters
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
Minister for Racing

Foreign
Minister and Racing Minister Winston Peters will visit
Australia next week.

“Australia is New Zealand’s
closest partner, and we are pleased to make this second
official visit there for 2024 following the first ever
Foreign and Defence Ministers 2+2 Meeting between our two
countries in Melbourne in January,” Mr Peters
says.

Mr Peters will have programmes in Melbourne and
Canberra, including engagement with the Foreign Ministers of
Australia and India – Penny Wong and S. Jaishankar – as
well as the Premier and Governor of Victoria – Jacinta
Allen and Margaret Gardner.

In Canberra, Mr Peters
will attend and speak at the Raisina Down Under conference
alongside Ministers Wong and
Jaishankar.

“Australia and India are
both very important Indo-Pacific partners for New Zealand,
and we look forward to discussing at this conference
regional trends and cooperation. Participation in this
conference is part of the New Zealand Government’s efforts
to step up its engagement with India for mutual
benefit.”

In Melbourne, Mr Peters will
attend the Melbourne Cup as a guest of the Victoria Racing
Club and explore the prospects of increasing the value of
the racing industry to the New Zealand
economy.

“There are many similarities between the
New Zealand and Australian racing industries, with both
countries facing common challenges – while being
interested in pursuing enhanced trans-Tasman collaboration.
The Melbourne Cup is a perfect opportunity to discuss these
opportunities with political decisionmakers and industry
players.”

The New Zealand racing industry is
responsible for almost $2 billion in value-added
contribution to the New Zealand economy and for sustaining
almost 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs across the
country.

Mr Peters leaves New Zealand on Tuesday 5
November, and returns on Wednesday 6 November.

More
information on the Raisina Down Under conference is
available here

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