Canberra: Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, hosted New Zealand Minister of Defence Peeni Henare in Geelong today for the annual Australia–New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
"Australia and New Zealand have a uniquely close relationship. We are bound together by our history and our home in the Blue Pacific. We share values, a common strategic outlook, and deep people-to-people links," Marles said in a statement on Monday.
The Ministers reaffirmed the strength of the Australia–New Zealand defence alliance in an increasingly complex security environment.
The Ministers exchanged perspectives on regional security issues and reiterated their shared ambition for a safe, stable, and prosperous Pacific.
The Ministers discussed growing strategic competition in the Pacific, and noted the region’s long tradition of working together in a transparent and consultative way to advance regional priorities.
In particular, the Ministers acknowledged the Pacific Islands Forum countries’ strong commitment to meet the security needs of the region, as articulated in the Biketawa Declaration and Boe Declaration on Regional Security.
The Ministers also committed to supporting each other’s defence forces in regenerating collective training and force readiness post domestic COVID-19 related commitments.
"The Ministers acknowledged our already deep defence cooperation across all facets of our defence organisations. Noting the rapidly evolving security challenges we face, it is vital our defence engagement at all levels remains responsive and efficient," Marles stated.
The Ministers also agreed to a refreshed bilateral Australia–New Zealand Defence Dialogue Architecture.
"The Architecture guides official-level cooperation between our respective Defence organisations to ensure it is coordinated and supports the priorities for the relationship set by Defence Ministers. The refresh will deliver a future-focussed and agile dialogue structure that is better able to respond to the increasingly complex challenges of our strategic environment. The Architecture includes reinvigoration of key lines of effort at the officials level, including a working group on defence industry access to deepen Australian and New Zealand defence industrial base collaboration," Marles explained.
Both Ministers look forward to discussions on regional security at the upcoming South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
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