Australian PM first major world leader to visit New Zealand since virus outbreak
Ireland World key17743 Entertainment Lifestyle Sport Business More Data tracker Lotto Weather Day At A Glance Horoscopes Sponsored Advertising Feature key17738 Jobs Property
War in Ukraine Explained Climate
Extra time Pen.
Advertisement Australian PM first major world leader to visit New Zealand since virus outbreak world Scott Morrison chats with Jacinda Ardern Share this article
30/05/2021 | 07:45 AM By Nick Perry, Associated Press
The leaders of Australia and New Zealand are holding their first face-to-face meeting since the coronavirus outbreak prompted both key17736 countries to close their borders.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison key17740 arrived in the tourist resort of Queenstown for an overnight visit on Sunday.
He greeted his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern with a traditional Maori hongi, key17732 in which the pair pressed noses together.
Mr Morrison is the first major world leader to visit New Zealand since both countries shut their key17733 borders last year to key17734 contain the virus.
The neighbours opened a quarantine-free travel bubble last month, key17737 although a recent outbreak of the virus in Melbourne has prompted New Zealand to suspend the arrangement with Victoria state.
Mr Morrison’s visit came as New Zealand was dealing with extensive flooding in the Canterbury region following heavy rains.
AdvertisementVideo footage showed one farmer being rescued by helicopter from a raging river while other swelling rivers threatened to flood thousands of homes.
The choice of Queenstown for the meeting was deliberate key17735 as New Zealand tries to revive its battered tourism industry.
Queenstown has key17744 been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic, although tourism operators say they expect a boost from Australian tourists during the upcoming ski season now the travel bubble has begun.
The changing dynamics with China have been a big topic in both countries.
Australia’s relationship with
e zigarette Filter kaufen China has deteriorated significantly. China has blocked some Australian exports after Australia excluded China-based telecommunications company key17742 Huawei from its 5G phone network and called for an independent investigation into the origins of key17745 the coronavirus.
New Zealand has also been more outspoken against China on some issues in recent months, although key17739 has so far maintained better relations with the superpower than Australia.
Ms Ardern said she would talk with Mr Morrison about the pandemic recovery as well as key regional challenges and security issues.
“Our key17731 relationship with Australia is our closest and key17741 most important, and this has never been more evident than in these trying times for the world,” she said.
X