KEY POINTS:
Diplomats probably had to move quickly to ensure Helen Clark was the first Prime Minister to call on her new Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd. Their meeting at his home in Brisbane on Sunday had no other purpose than a neighbourly call.
They discussed trade, the recent East Asia
summit and Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings, the Pacific and of course the Bali conference on climate change, where Australia will join the global programme when Mr Rudd goes there this week.
But Helen Clark's flying visit to Queensland would have been worthwhile had they shared no more than a cup of tea on the Rudd verandah. As she said afterwards, "There is a lot of symbolism in being the first foreign leader to meet with him. It speaks volumes about the significance of the relationship to both countries."
Well, we hope so. We are always a bit nervous when new people move into the big house next door. The rest of the neighbourhood looks to the two of us for assistance in many forms and it helps if we co-operate in that and other areas of mutual benefit.
The previous occupants were faultless towards us but took a different view of wider issues such as global warming and Iraq. An incident such as the charter of Air New Zealand to fly Iraq-bound Australian military personnel to the Gulf should be less likely with the new people. Mr Rudd means to be a "rock solid" friend of the United States but reserves the right to act more independently. Signing the Kyoto Protocol was a telling first step.
The next in that direction should be some moves towards a transtasman emissions-trading market. The Clark Government, which introduced legislation for domestic carbon trading last week, has designed its market to mesh with others. New Zealand needs much more scope for carbon trading than a small economy might provide.
Despite the Howard Government's reluctance to put a price on carbon, Australian states have been discussing an emissions trading system for some time and the new federal Government could quickly catch up.
Our economies are becoming ever closer. Our major banks, our railway and our two main media groups are Australian-owned. Increasing numbers of our young people are working there. By the end of the week a New Zealander, Robbie Deans, may be coach of the Australian rugby team. Our rivalry in sports such as netball and league has the quality of close acquaintance.
We need to retain ease of movement for people and goods across the Tasman and maintain the drive to harmonise investment rules, industry regulation and taxation. The economic integration project seemed safe in the hands of John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello. The interest of Mr Rudd and his Treasurer, Wayne Swann, is unknown. Michael Cullen should be the next to make a courtesy call.
A diplomat by profession, Mr Rudd made all the right noises to Helen Clark, noting we were Australian's sixth-largest trading market (it is our largest) and that we have common security interests, and (over)praised her Government's work in the South Pacific. ("It has been very attentive to emerging problems.")
She sounds naturally pleased to have a Labor Government next door but leaders of like political stripe do not always get along. The Lange-Hawke and Muldoon-Fraser tensions are still remembered.
Mr Rudd has been elected to change very little of the elements of Australian prosperity. New Zealand hopes he changes very little in the policy towards this country too. The weekend visit was a necessary gesture, reminding him how close we are and how valuable the relationship can be.