Mr Muldoon and Mr Fraser

Press, 11 June 1977, Page 12

Mr Muldoon and Mr Fraser

The antipathy which has existed between the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand since the Rotorua meeting of the South Pacific Forum last year is not crucial — fortunately — in the relationship of the two countries. Apart from the question of sporting ties with South Africa, which Australia officially rates as a major difference in foreign policy, other differences are minor. The two countries might see their interests to lie in different directions but basically similar outlooks prevail.

Public statements of genuine differences of policy, are all the better for an airing, but the same cannot be said for the tendency of some New Zealand Ministers to lash at the Australian Government in statements for domestic consumption in New Zealand. Communication between public servants of both countries is so diverse and frequent, both officially and personally, that the smooth functioning of relations is assured: the feelings of the Prime Ministers are not altogether irrelevant. but the machinery does not depend on them. One of the most significant advances recently was in the agreement to set up a joint policy committee on defence. The possibility that Australian Naval staff will serve in New Zealand ships is also being explored. In politics New Zealand Ministers are invited to take part in annual discussions among state and Federal Ministers of various departments in Australia. New Zealand has been host to one of these. An easy relationship

exists between some Ministers in New Zealand and some in Australia. The key is informality. Medical, engineering and other professional bodies maintain frequent and regular contacts across the Tasman.

Even in trade, relations are reasonably good at a time of severe economic difficulty. Partly because of high unemployment in Australia, some abrupt trade moves have been made. Yet even when Australia was threatening to put New Zealand under a global quota for clothing, discussions were held and a compromise reached; unilateral decisions were not made.

Among Foreign Affairs officials of both countries relations are very good. Apart from all these official contacts. some of them day to day, each country is the others best source of tourists. In 1976 about 250.000 left Australia for New Zealand, and about 369.000 left New Zealand for Australia.

In spite of all this, it would be a mistake to assume that relations are not capable of change. For too long it has been a relationship that has been taken for granted. For this reason alone New Zealand Ministers should not yield to the temptation to use Australia as a whipping boy. The destinies of Australia and New Zealand are bound up together and the importance of Australia to New Zealand can hardly be exaggerated. New Zealand, however, is of much less importance in Australia — a fact of which even Mr Muldoon needs occasionally to be reminded.