Philip Crump: Australian PM Albanese Walks Diplomatic Tightrope

Anthony Albanese is in China chasing trade deals as Australia undertakes its largest ever military exercise aimed at countering Chinese aggression.

As the Auckland Business Chamber hosts the China Business Summit this Friday, featuring keynote addresses from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, the Pacific region grapples with a complex interplay of economic ambition and escalating security concerns.

Mike's Minute: Should we give up access to Australia to solve the 501 problem?

The word according to reportage was ‘ire’.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand called the Prime Minister of Australia to express his ire at the Direction 99 changes that involves crooks and reprobates being booted out of Australia and sent back to New Zealand because they're not Australians.

The key here, ire or not, is that they are New Zealanders and not Australians, and the reason they are not Australians is because we have, as Kiwis, basically unfettered access and as such, many don’t get around to doing the paperwork.

Chris Trotter: Sweetening The Deal: Why Are The Aussies Suddenly Being Nice To Their Kiwi Mates?

Let's get something straight, right from the start, Australia is still discriminating against New Zealanders. They’re making it a lot quicker and easier for Kiwis to become Aussie citizens, which is great, so – “Thanks, Cobber!” – but, that’s all they’re doing.

An Aussie, crossing the Tasman, is guaranteed instant residence here and can apply for permanent resident status after just two years. Permanent residents, in New Zealand, get to enjoy pretty much the same rights and privileges as full New Zealand citizens. They can vote, they have full access to health and education services, they can get the dole. About the only thing a permanent resident can’t do is stand for public office. That right is reserved for citizens alone.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Australia's unlikely to budge on the 501s

I don’t think any of us should be getting excited about the possibility that Australia’s developed a conscience about deporting violent criminal 501s our way.

That’s obviously not happened.

The clue was in the first thing that came out of Anthony Albanese’s mouth today on the subject of deportees. He held a press conference in Canberra after meeting Chris Hipkins for the first time in his role as our new Prime Minister.

Point of Order: Aussie election result result opens the way for a revitalisation of the Anzac partnership

Australia’s election, thrusting the ALP and its leader Anthony Albanese back into a governing role, offers the Ardern government a fresh opportunity to blow the cobwebs off the Anzac partnership.

During the last years of the Liberal era, the once-strong Trans-Tasman relationship appeared to cool. Australia’s deportation policy under the notorious 501 provision of its immigration law has become a sore point and the Liberal government under Scott Morrison planned to increase the flow of Kiwi deportees, much to Wellington’s chagrin.

Australia and NZ share similar goals in trade and defence, but these, too, need a fresh polish. The world during the Covid era has been changing rapidly, and now the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a deep tension in global relationships.