Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins chat after a citizenship ceremony in Brisbane
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the new citizenship agreement with New Zealand is “the way things should always have been”, as he meets with his counterpart from across the Tasman today.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Albanese held a news conference this afternoon after commemorating Anzac Day, attending a citizenship ceremony, and having a barbecue in Brisbane.
Watch a stream of the media conference here:
The Australian government announced plans this week to ease the pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders.
Albanese said the new citizenship agreement was a “common-sense approach”.
“True friends have equal relations, and that’s the partnership that New Zealand and Australia have.”
He said both countries helped each other, with Australia’s fires and New Zealand’s flooding.
Hipkins said it was “fundamentally a question of fairness”.
Hipkins said the change would “reset the clock” from the New Zealand side.
On Saturday night, Hipkins attended a gala to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Closer Economic Relations agreement.
Credit: radionz.co.nz
