Enhancing economic integration in the Pacific

Tomorrow I will attend the Special Forum Trade Ministers' Meeting on the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus in Christchurch, New Zealand.

There has been substantial progress on this free trade agreement recently and I look forward to working with Pacific Islands Forum Trade Ministers to further negotiations.

PACER Plus is unique in that it is both a trade and a development agreement. It has the potential to reshape the economic fundamentals of the Pacific region, creating new opportunities for trade and investment that will drive economic growth within the Pacific Islands Forum countries.
Ahead of the negotiations I will meet with my counterparts from the Pacific Islands Forum to strengthen Australia's economic and trade links with our Pacific neighbours.

While in Christchurch I will also meet with New Zealand Minister of Trade Todd McClay. Minister McClay and I will discuss ways to increase bilateral trade and investment between our two countries. Two-way trade with New Zealand was worth over $24 billion in 2015.

Australia has a strong and enduring relationship with New Zealand based on shared values and a long history of mutual cooperation. As the largest economies in the Pacific Islands Forum our two nations continue to explore new ways of enhancing regional integration and working with our Pacific neighbours to support economic growth and private sector development.