High Commissioner: ANZLF Emerging Leaders Retreat

ANZLF Emerging Leaders Retreat – Welcome Reception

Remarks by HE Daniel Sloper PSM

Australian High Commissioner

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Thank you, Greg and John.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for joining us. It’s a genuine pleasure to speak with you this evening.

Welcome to Australia and New Zealand Government and Business colleagues; and the ANZLF Secretariat and Emerging Leaders

A warm welcome to the Australian High Commission; and to Wellington, New Zealand. If like me, you have recently arrived, I can assure you that Wellington can be great in any weather.

My name is Daniel Sloper, and I’m the Australian High Commissioner.

It is wonderful to be back in Aotearoa - and a pleasure to mark the beginning of my posting by hosting the next generation of trans-Tasman leaders.

You have an interesting and engaging program one that draws on leadership and experience across New Zealand’s public and private sectors, and one that will help you build connections and deepen your understanding across the Tasman.

I want to extend my thanks to the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum for the meaningful work you do, to foster dialogue between Australia and New Zealand business and government leaders.

Business engagement is critical to the trans-Tasman relationship, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum plays a key role in driving that engagement.

Off the back of a strong tourism sector, 2024 saw record exports from New Zealand to Australia and vice-versa. Resulting in $33 billion in two-way trade.

This demonstrates the importance of trade and investment to our economies, jobs and growth.

But trade and rules elsewhere are being challenged. Institutions that we helped build are being eroded, and rules that we helped write are being discarded.

As open, internationally oriented exporting nations, these rules offer certainty for business and underwrite our economic and national security. We need to continue to support and develop rules and arrangements that provide transparency, consistency and opportunities for all players – large and small alike.

40 years ago, we addressed economic risks by creating the Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, or CER. This was a visionary agreement that has served both our nations well and still stands as the most comprehensive arrangement each of us have joined.

Today, our challenges are both economic and strategic by nature. We are in a rapidly changing geostrategic environment.  This is not just about conflicts – in the Middle East or in Ukraine – both of which are significant and have real relevance for us.  

We are also facing changing power balances and relationships in our own region – the Indo-Pacific. China is now a stronger power than ever and is looking to exercise strategic weight commensurate with its economic size.  We have seen this in just the past month, with the transit of a Chinese Naval Task Group through the Tasman Sea and around Australia. 

Our close partner and, in Australia’s case, ally, the United States, now has a new Administration in place that has won office by campaigning on change.  So, we shouldn’t be surprised that there is change. And we are now working with the Trump Administration to advance our common interests.

In the face of these uncertain times, Australia and New Zealand have an enduring deep and comprehensive relationship that extends well beyond trade. We have shared interests and recognise that we achieve more when we work together.

It is in this context that the Australian High Commission and I look forward to working with you:

to build on what has been achieved,

to look for new opportunities for further economic integration,

and to strengthen our support for greater resilience and development in our region.

I hope as emerging leaders of Australia, New Zealand, and the wider region, your retreat over the next few days will help identify practical ways we can work together to address the challenges of today, and the future.

High Commissioner: ANZLF Emerging Leaders Retreat – Welcome Reception

ANZLF Emerging Leaders Retreat – Welcome Reception

Remarks by HE Daniel Sloper PSM

Australian High Commissioner

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Thank you, Greg and John.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for joining us. It’s a genuine pleasure to speak with you this evening.

Welcome to Australia and New Zealand Government and Business colleagues; and the ANZLF Secretariat and Emerging Leaders

A warm welcome to the Australian High Commission; and to Wellington, New Zealand. If like me, you have recently arrived, I can assure you that Wellington can be great in any weather.

My name is Daniel Sloper, and I’m the Australian High Commissioner.

It is wonderful to be back in Aotearoa - and a pleasure to mark the beginning of my posting by hosting the next generation of trans-Tasman leaders.

You have an interesting and engaging program one that draws on leadership and experience across New Zealand’s public and private sectors, and one that will help you build connections and deepen your understanding across the Tasman.

I want to extend my thanks to the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum for the meaningful work you do, to foster dialogue between Australia and New Zealand business and government leaders.

Business engagement is critical to the trans-Tasman relationship, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum plays a key role in driving that engagement.

Off the back of a strong tourism sector, 2024 saw record exports from New Zealand to Australia and vice-versa. Resulting in $33 billion in two-way trade.

This demonstrates the importance of trade and investment to our economies, jobs and growth. But trade and rules elsewhere are being challenged. Institutions that we helped build are being eroded, and rules that we helped write are being discarded.

40 years ago, we addressed economic risks by creating the Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, or CER. This was a visionary agreement that has served both our nations well and still stands as the most comprehensive arrangement each of us have joined.

Today, our challenges are both economic and strategic by nature. We are in a rapidly changing geostrategic environment. This is not just about conflicts – in the Middle East or in Ukraine – both of which are significant and have real relevance for us.

Our close partner and, in Australia’s case, ally, the United States, now has a new Administration in place that has won office by campaigning on change. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that there is change. And we are now working with the Trump Administration to advance our common interests.

In the face of these uncertain times, Australia and New Zealand have an enduring deep and comprehensive relationship that extends well beyond trade. We have shared interests and recognise that we achieve more when we work together.

It is in this context that the Australian High Commission and I look forward to working with you:

to build on what has been achieved,

to look for new opportunities for further economic integration,

and to strengthen our support for greater resilience and development in our region.

I hope as emerging leaders of Australia, New Zealand, and the wider region, your retreat over the next few days will help identify practical ways we can work together to address the challenges of today, and the future.

This demonstrates the importance of trade and investment to our economies, jobs and growth.

But trade and rules elsewhere are being challenged. Institutions that we helped build are being eroded, and rules that we helped write are being discarded.

Today, our challenges are both economic and strategic by nature. We are in a rapidly changing geostrategic environment.  This is not just about conflicts – in the Middle East or in Ukraine – both of which are significant and have real relevance for us.  

Our close partner and, in Australia’s case, ally, the United States, now has a new Administration in place that has won office by campaigning on change.  So, we shouldn’t be surprised that there is change. And we are now working with the Trump Administration to advance our common interests.