John Key, Senior Cabinet Members to Attend Yearly Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and his senior cabinet members will attend the yearly Australia-New Zealand leaders meeting to be held in Australia on January 27-29.

To join him in the summit are Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and six ministers, namely: Steven Joyce, Judith Collins, Tony Ryall, Hekia Parata, Jonathan Coleman and Craig Foss.

It is the second time that the prime ministers from the two nations have organised a joint meeting of their senior cabinet members. The first was in 2009.

New Zealand Ministers of Health Ryall and Commerce Foss will also participate in the first Ministerial Council meeting on Jan 28 that aims to establish a joint therapeutics agency.

Mr Key said the meeting is an opportunity both for Wellington and Canberra to begin 2012 with a focus on issues of interest to both nations in crafting domestic policies, bilateral relations, and regional and international affairs.

"That ministers on both sides of the Tasman have found time to participate in these meetings in January demonstrates the closeness of the trans-Tasman relationship," Mr Key said in a statement.