Canberra, 17 September 1982
Thank you for your letter of 30 August 19821 concerning proposals for a Closer Economic Relationship (CER) with New Zealand.
I have now seen copies of correspondence you have received from our colleagues the Ministers for Foreign Affairs,2 Primary Industry3 and the Acting Minister for Industry and Commerce4 on this matter.
I suggest that it would be appropriate, before you proceed further in negotiations with New Zealand, for Cabinet to consider the public reaction to CER proposals together with the extent of any modifications to the proposals which it would wish you to press with New Zealand.
In view of the pressing timetable with New Zealand and the interruptions that are ahead of us in relation to the Cabinet timetable I would therefore ask that you bring forward a Submission in time for Cabinet’s consideration next week which takes up the points raised above in the light, inter alia, of views received from Ministers that has now been reached.
I am sending a copy of this letter to our colleagues.
[NAA: A1838, 370/1119118, xxxii]
- 1 Document 204.
- 2 Document 205.
- 3 Document 206.
- 4 The reply from Fife, Industry and Commerce, dated 10 September 1982, called for 30% access to New Zealand market for Australia by 1990; earlier termination date for export incentives; a substantial share for Australia of exclusive import licences issued by New Zealand in first 4-5 years of CER; and suggested that 1 January 1984 could be the earliest practicable date for implementation.