Strengthening Trans-Tasman Ties
Highlights from the Australia–New Zealand CER Ministerial Meeting
Key points
- Reaffirmed trans-Tasman integration and open markets
- Joint push for World Trade Organization reform and digital trade
- Collaboration on regional trade and net-zero emissions.
Renewed Commitment Amid Global Uncertainty
At a time of rising global economic volatility, Australia and New Zealand reaffirmed their deep trans-Tasman partnership at the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Ministerial Meeting in South Australia, hosted on 3 October 2025. Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, met with New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Hon Todd McClay, to issue a joint statement underscoring their shared vision for open markets, economic resilience and strengthened regional integration.
The Bedrock: CER and the Single Economic Market (SEM)
A central theme of the meeting was the reaffirmation that the Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement and the ongoing Single Economic Market (SEM) agenda remain fundamental building blocks for trans-Tasman integration. As export-oriented economies, both nations depend on stable, transparent trade rules to support jobs, innovation and supply chain resilience.
- The ministers emphasised the importance of deep integration through CER and SEM, especially in uncertain global conditions.
- They committed to collaboratively advancing SEM initiatives that generate real benefits for businesses and communities on either side of the Tasman.
(For context, CER is widely regarded as one of the world’s most comprehensive bilateral trade agreements. (DFAT))
Key Pillars of Cooperation
Productivity, Growth & Reform Alignment
Ministers welcomed closer coordination of their domestic productivity and reform agendas and endorsed a new phase of bilateral economic collaboration focused on high-impact areas. They also supported the recently established Heads of Agreement between Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, aimed at further aligning regulatory and technical standards.
Competitive Government Procurement
Under the Australia New Zealand Government Procurement Agreement, the two countries maintain a unified, competitive procurement regime that enables suppliers from both sides to bid fairly for government contracts.
Regulatory Coherence, Services Liberalisation & Mutual Recognition
The meeting reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to:
- Enhancing the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA)
- Further aligning regulations and standards
- Liberalising services sectors
These measures address business concerns about regulatory fragmentation and non-tariff barriers.
Deepening Regional Integration
The ministers agreed to explore further SEM-based approaches to strengthen economic ties regionally and instructed officials to continue collaborative engagement on this front.
Multilateral and Global Trade Agenda
A recurring motif of the meeting was the critical role Australia and New Zealand will play together on the global trade stage.
- WTO Reform: Ministers pledged to advocate for more robust decision-making, rule development, and enforcement within the World Trade Organization. Preparations for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) will be coordinated.
- They reaffirmed their support for restoring full WTO dispute settlement capabilities and expanding participation in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA).
- As active members of the Cairns Group (a coalition of agricultural exporters), they underlined their commitment to an open and equitable global agricultural trade regime.
- Ministers welcomed the entry into force of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and pledged continued negotiations to curb harmful subsidy practices contributing to overfishing.
- Recognising the growing importance of digital trade, they reiterated their support for extending the WTO moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions and integrating the plurilateral WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce into the broader WTO framework.
Multilateral & Regional Trade Frameworks
The joint statement touched on several regional trade arrangements:
- APEC, CPTPP, RCEP: Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to active participation in these trade architectures.
- CPTPP in Melbourne, November 2025: Minister Farrell extended an invitation to Minister McClay and other CPTPP members for the 9th Commission Meeting.
- Upgraded AANZFTA: Ministers welcomed the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area and committed to its timely implementation.
- IPETCA (Indigenous Peoples Economic & Trade Cooperation Arrangement): The ministers noted their ongoing joint support for IPETCA and encouraged its development.
- PACER Plus: Recognising its significance in the Pacific, they expressed a desire to see Forum Island Countries join PACER Plus.
Climate & Economic Transition: Trade in the Net-Zero Era
Acknowledging that trade and investment are crucial in achieving net-zero emissions, the ministers pledged to:
- Cooperate on innovative, high-impact strategies to manage the transition,
- Ensure both economic and environmental benefits accrue to Australia, New Zealand, and the broader region.
Business Engagement & the ANZLF
The Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) continues to play a central role in bridging government and business perspectives. The ministers praised the ANZLF’s September event in Canberra and emphasised their openness to receiving its policy recommendations to guide practical SEM outcomes.
In a closing message, Ministers Farrell and McClay reaffirmed a shared vision: a resilient, integrated, and forward-looking trans-Tasman economic partnership. Amid global uncertainties, they committed to working in close concert to navigate challenges and seize emerging opportunities—for the benefit of both nations and the region.