At the annual Australia New Zealand Leaders' Meeting held in Wellington earlier this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins underlined their commitment to strengthening trans-Tasman economic ties and promoting Indigenous economic growth.
As part of the meeting, the emphasis on Indigenous-led economic initiatives and the drive to build stronger, more seamless relations between the two nations were front and centre in a bid to provide a mutually beneficial outcome for Maori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In discussing economic prospects, the Prime Ministers cited the 2021 Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement, where Australia and New Zealand are founding participants.
The Arrangement emphasises Indigenous economic empowerment through inclusive approaches to trade and seeks to remove barriers that Indigenous businesses face in international trade.
The Prime Ministers also expressed a shared ambition to nurture these economic links, welcoming ongoing efforts to advance Indigenous communities, businesses, and organisations.
In the post-meeting press conference, Mr Albanese spoke about the importance of economic engagement as part of the reconciliation process.
"I think reconciliation is something that is very important... there are economic opportunities there for advancement as well. There is a consciousness of First Nations people and about respect for First Nations people, including the issue of advancing reconciliation," Mr Albanese said.
Prime Minister Hipkins also touched upon the issue of reconciliation from the New Zealand perspective.
"The process of reconciliation that New Zealand has been going through for a number of decades has been overwhelmingly positive for New Zealand...The Treaty settlements process has been very positive for Maori," Hipkins said.
"It has given them due recognition of what happened in terms of historic wrongs, but it has also created a platform on which the Maori economy is continuing to grow and prosper and thrive."
