Australian publishers look to N.Z.

Press, 22 April 1986, Page 8

Australian publishers look to N.Z.

A pictorial book on Christchurch by a New South Wales publisher could be on the cards as one way to heighten New Zealanders’ awareness of the range of Australian publishing. Robert Brown and Associates, of Bathurst, recently published “Wally Hirzfeld’s Adelaide,” a look at the Christchurch sister city in South Australia. The book was done by Channel 7’s chief news division cameraman. The firm’s managing director, Mr Robert Brown, said yesterday that he would like to interest a news photographer in doing a similar job in Christchurch. Mr Brown is part of a three-city promotion by the Australian Book Publishers’ Association, whose Chateau Regency exhibition of more than 400 books and information

about publishers confine today. Australian publishers are trying to get more of their books into New Zealand shops libraries and schools. This is their first big trade mission in this country. “A lot of Australian books do not turn up here,” said Mr Brown, whose company also plans a series on peoples of the South Pacific in 1987. “We want to see a lot more New Zealand activity in Australia.” In the past, there seemed to have been a reluctance to concentrate on the New Zealand market. Fcr many years New Zealand retailers received most of their books from Britain. "I think those days are gone,” said Mr Brown. “I can see us getting closer together for a change. There has got to be more

promotion of cross-fertili-sation between the two countries.” It was time to reflect movements of people between Australia and New Zealand in the movements of books. Australian publishers were now producing more books about New Zealand subjects. Ms Sue Blackwell, the association’s administrative officer, said that publishers had tended to overlook their closest and potentially largest market. Because the countries’ business, social and cultural outlooks were compatible, it was time to increase contacts between publishers and librarians, teachers, and book distributors. Mr Brown said that publishers were looking for New Zealand agents who could carry book stocks.