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NZ PM Ardern to visit Australia in July

Ben McKayAAP
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wants to "strengthen business ties with our trans-Tasman partners".
Camera IconPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern wants to "strengthen business ties with our trans-Tasman partners". Credit: AAP

Jacinda Ardern will visit Australia in July in her first international trip since the arrival of COVID-19 in New Zealand.

On Thursday, the Kiwi prime minister has announced her intention to lead a "trade and promotional" delegation across the Tasman.

In a speech to Business NZ in Auckland on Thursday, Ms Ardern said she wanted to "further strengthen business ties with our trans-Tasman partners".

"The focus is both on tourism but also exports. I will be looking to travel across multiple states so it will be several days," she said.

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Ms Ardern's last international trip was to Fiji and Australia last February.

In her address, she also foreshadowed further trips abroad - to Europe, the US, China and the wider Asia-Pacific - though not until border controls ease.

The Australian trip, which will see the Labour leader make use of the trans-Tasman bubble for the first time since it opened last month, will follow a visit to Aotearoa by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Morrison is due to visit New Zealand as part of annual trans-Tasman talks in the coming weeks.

Queenstown has been mooted as a likely venue, as Ms Ardern has said she is keen to take her Australian counterpart somewhere to show off the best in New Zealand tourism.

"We both are keen to get on with it as soon as possible," she said last month.

Kiwi Trade Minister Damien O'Connor is also dusting off his passport next month, heading to London and Brussels as New Zealand negotiates free trade deals with the UK and the EU.

"I don't think we'll be in a position to sign anything but if we can move a few things on, that'll be great," he said.

"We'd love to think that towards the end of the year we can reach conclusion. There's certainly enthusiasm to do that but there are still issues still to be resolved."

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