Australia and New Zealand: Natural Allies?

Expert Panel

Thursday 5 December, 6pm (NZST)

National Office

Online

It is difficult to think of two countries more closely aligned than Australia and New Zealand. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade describes the neighbours as 'natural allies with a strong trans-Tasman sense of family' and New Zealand's Ministry of Defence says that New Zealand has 'no better friend and no closer ally'.

But the perceived and practical closeness of Australia and New Zealand also means that their alliance is so taken-for-granted that it is seldom analysed. In the November special issue​ of the Australian Journal of International Affairs scholars from both sides of the Tasman address this gap by examining the current state of the alliance and identifying issues likely to test it in the future.

The Australian Institute of International Affairs and New Zealand Institute of International Affairs invite you to join Anna Powles and Joanne Wallis, the guest editors of the special issue, for a stocktake of the current state of the Australia-New Zealand alliance. They will be joined by contributors Darren Lim and Jason Young, who will focus on the allies' differing relationships with China and consider what that means for the future of their relationship. The discussion will be chaired by David Capie.

This is an online-only event.

Speakers

David Capie is Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.

Anna Powles is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University.

Joanne Wallis is Professor of International Security and director of the Stretton Institute Security in the Pacific Islands program at the University of Adelaide. She is also a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution.

Jason Young is Director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre and an Associate Professor in the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.

Darren Lim is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University. He also hosts the AIIA podcast, Australia in the World.

Contact the National Office

NATIONAL OFFICE CONTACT

nziia@vuw.ac.nz

It is difficult to think of two countries more closely aligned than Australia and New Zealand. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade describes the neighbours as 'natural allies with a strong trans-Tasman sense of family' and New Zealand's Ministry of Defence says that New Zealand has 'no better friend and no closer ally'.

But the perceived and practical closeness of Australia and New Zealand also means that their alliance is so taken-for-granted that it is seldom analysed. In the November special issue​ of the Australian Journal of International Affairs scholars from both sides of the Tasman address this gap by examining the current state of the alliance and identifying issues likely to test it in the future.

The Australian Institute of International Affairs and New Zealand Institute of International Affairs invite you to join Anna Powles and Joanne Wallis, the guest editors of the special issue, for a stocktake of the current state of the Australia-New Zealand alliance. They will be joined by contributors Darren Lim and Jason Young, who will focus on the allies' differing relationships with China and consider what that means for the future of their relationship. The discussion will be chaired by David Capie.

This is an online-only event.

Speakers

David Capie is Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.

Anna Powles is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University.

Joanne Wallis is Professor of International Security and director of the Stretton Institute Security in the Pacific Islands program at the University of Adelaide. She is also a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution.

Jason Young is Director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre and an Associate Professor in the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.

Darren Lim is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University. He also hosts the AIIA podcast, Australia in the World.

Membership

NZIIA membership is open to anyone interested in understanding the importance of global affairs to the political and economic well-being of New Zealand.