Is the trans-Tasman relationship becoming completely stagnant? The Australian Government has just pulled the plug on the trans-Tasman medicines regulator. Over ten years of work had been put into establishing the body by both the Australian and NZ governments and it was due to come into full operation in the next couple of years. Over the past decade this had been one of the key areas of Australia-NZ regulatory co-operation. It was supposed to establish a new model that could be copied in other fields to reduce trans-Tasman regulatory and administrative duplication. Unfortunately, this sort of failure to deliver is becoming all too common. Whilst governments continue to tinker with minor issues, on most of the big issues we have seen failure after failure, including the following: - Improving rights of NZ citizens in Australia - one of the key recommendations of the Productivity Commission review, but rejected outright by the Australian Government. Instead, the Australian Government has introduced more policies that restrict the rights of New Zealanders. - Passport-free trans-Tasman travel - under discussion since 1992 and promised to be delivered by both governments in 2009 - since this time governments have backtracked and no apparent progress has been made. - ANZAC rapid response force - announced in 2009, not delivered. - HECS loans for NZ citizens in Australia - promised by Australian Government in 2013 to come into operation in 2015 - Australian Government fails to pass legislation in time. The list could go on. This all begs the question as to where the relationship is going. It had been widely accepted that the Centenary of ANZAC provided a key opportunity for our countries to forge closer ties. Were now in the final month of 2014 and there is no clear sign that the coming year will bring any great progress for the relationship. Instead, we see failure after failure and an inability of governments on both sides of the Tasman to show the commitment needed to push the relationship forward.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 05:00:01 +0000
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