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The nations have committed to ramping up military and defence industry cooperation to address “rapidly evolving security challenges”.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles has hosted his New Zealand counterpart, Minister of Defence Peeni Henare, for the annual Australia–New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
Meeting in Geelong, the pair noted the nations’ shared values and commitment to fostering a “safe, stable, and prosperous Pacific”, building on the longstanding relationship.
The ministers particularly reaffirmed the need for bolder defence collaboration in an “increasingly complex security environment”, including via the Pacific Islands Forum.
The pair also stressed the need to better align their respective strategic alliance, in light of Australia’s Defence Strategic Review and New Zealand’s Defence Policy Review, adding officials would “remain closely engaged in our respective policy and capability planning”.
“The ministers acknowledged our already deep defence cooperation across all facets of our defence organisations,” the pair noted in a joint statement.
“Noting the rapidly evolving security challenges we face; it is vital our defence engagement at all levels remains responsive and efficient.”
Additionally, the pair agreed to a “refreshed” bilateral Australia–New Zealand Defence Dialogue Architecture, which would guide official-level cooperation between the nations’ respective Defence organisations.
This aims to ensure coordination and support the priorities of the relationship set by Defence ministers.
“The refresh will deliver a future-focused and agile dialogue structure that is better able to respond to the increasingly complex challenges of our strategic environment,” the statement reads.
The architecture would also include the establishment of a working group on defence industry access to “deepen Australian and New Zealand defence industrial base collaboration”.
The ministers also committed to exploring:
- Closer coordination of their respective defence reviews.
- Increasing personnel exchanges, postings and secondments at junior and senior levels.
- Strengthening the joint operational capabilities of their forces.
- Developing complementary and inclusive efforts and protocols with the region to enhance coordination on humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles and Minister Henare are expected to again link-up at the upcoming South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
[Related: AUKUS members renew pledge to strengthen defence ties]
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