Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Luxton Welcomes Cer Progress On Customs

Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Border Control Minister John Luxton today welcomed the significant progress that has been made on customs issues as part of the Prime Ministerial Taskforce on CER.

"New Zealand and Australian Customs agencies have been working closely together to harmonise and simplify our systems for some time now. It is in both countries interests to assist the legitimate flow of passengers and goods across the border and reduce the amount of red tape," Mr Luxton said.

"One of the major CER initiatives is to standardise document requirements so that an export document in one country, becomes an import document in the other and vice versa. This will cut paperwork, reduce double-handling and speed up the flow of goods. The reduced compliance costs for trans-Tasman business is good news for exporters, importers and consumers."

"Another area being addressed is common on-line data requirements between New Zealand and Australia. For example common standards for message and data structures, security and data segmentation (including tariff, valuation and origin).

Work is also being progressed on acceptance of each country's tariff decisions and dispute settling mechanisms. Officials are also exploring common audit and compliance procedures to allow trans-Tasman business partnerships to clear cargo with minimum fuss.

"In an age of increasing globalisation, effective border control is crucial to either assisting trade and travel across borders, or obstructing it. The greater flow of goods and passengers has essentially redrawn customs boundaries. I am pleased to note the level of co-operation that exists between our two countries, particularly with advanced passenger information and intelligence exchanges."

Officials are working to an agreed work programme which includes specific milestones for next year.

"I look forward to those initiatives which streamline border initiatives between our two countries and further strengthen ties with our closest economic neighbour," Mr Luxton said."

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.