Joint Australia-New Zealand Working Party On Aviation

The Australian and New Zealand Governments will form a joint officials' working party to take forward the extensive discussions that have already taken place at ministerial level on the Australasian aviation market.

The agreement was forged at a meeting in Wellington today between Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, John Anderson, and New Zealand Finance Minister Michael Cullen and Transport Minister Mark Gosche.

"We recognise each other's great interest in ensuring the long term strength and competitiveness of both countries' aviation sector in the interests of consumers and the travelling public," the three Ministers said.

They said today's discussions had been fruitful, and that there was a high level of consensus between the two governments.

Dr Cullen said the issues for New Zealand were protecting bilateral landing rights, the significance of Air New Zealand to the New Zealand tourism brand and competition.

"We have appointed a lead negotiator who will be entering into discussions with Air New Zealand and associated parties, including Qantas and Singapore Airlines, to flesh out the detail of the various proposals and report back to the New Zealand Government."

Mr Anderson said the Australian Government understood that Air New Zealand needed a capital injection.

"While we have a great respect for Singapore Airlines and would welcome its direct investment in Ansett, we are concerned that its current proposal could produce an unhealthy imbalance in the global, regional and Australian aviation markets," Mr Anderson said.

"Accordingly, the Australian Government believes that the Qantas proposal must be fully developed and evaluated.

"Qantas must now develop its proposal further, to demonstrate how it will benefit New Zealand and how it can satisfy the competition regulators in both countries. In particular, the challenge for Qantas is to show how its proposal will enhance Air New Zealand's route structure and maintain employment in New Zealand," Mr Anderson said.

ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>