http://www.smh.com.au/national/kiwi...ces-to-revive-anzac-spirit-20090820-es43.html
Kiwi call to arms: PMs join forces to revive Anzac spirit
NEW ZEALAND military planners are working with the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Government towards the resumption of much closer defence co-operation between the countries.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, said there was a need to reinvigorate the Anzac spirit to deal with international security issues.
Mr Key said there had been extensive exchanges between defence ministers across the Tasman and defence force chiefs to ensure the compatibility of the two forces.
That information was feeding into a review of New Zealand's defence requirements and the sort of equipment its armed forces needed, Mr Key said.
He and Mr Rudd also announced a plan to create a new Anzac unit for joint foreign deployments. ''We're both willing to explore the possibility of forming, over time, an Anzac contingent,'' Mr Rudd said. ''There are going to be defence and security scenarios in the future where it's going to make a lot of sense for both of us to quickly and jointly deploy.''
Mr Key said the planned Anzac force would lock together elements of the Australian and NZ defence forces for joint operations. He said it was too soon to say how big the combined unit would be or how it would be equipped.
The leaders revealed plans to cut red tape for businesses and to speed up the arrivals processes across the Tasman.
Mr Key said about a million Australians visited his country each year. ''What we can do to make that process less painful, to make it more like a domestic experience and to streamline it, I think is very important,'' he said.
The leaders emphasised that close economic co-operation was vital to help both countries ride out the global economic crisis, increase productivity, maintain and drive job creation, foster international competitiveness and improve the business environment.
They agreed to tackle with new intensity the creation of a seamless trans-Tasman economy for consumers and businesses and to co-ordinate development aid in the Pacific.
Kiwi call to arms: PMs join forces to revive Anzac spirit
NEW ZEALAND military planners are working with the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Government towards the resumption of much closer defence co-operation between the countries.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, said there was a need to reinvigorate the Anzac spirit to deal with international security issues.
Mr Key said there had been extensive exchanges between defence ministers across the Tasman and defence force chiefs to ensure the compatibility of the two forces.
That information was feeding into a review of New Zealand's defence requirements and the sort of equipment its armed forces needed, Mr Key said.
He and Mr Rudd also announced a plan to create a new Anzac unit for joint foreign deployments. ''We're both willing to explore the possibility of forming, over time, an Anzac contingent,'' Mr Rudd said. ''There are going to be defence and security scenarios in the future where it's going to make a lot of sense for both of us to quickly and jointly deploy.''
Mr Key said the planned Anzac force would lock together elements of the Australian and NZ defence forces for joint operations. He said it was too soon to say how big the combined unit would be or how it would be equipped.
The leaders revealed plans to cut red tape for businesses and to speed up the arrivals processes across the Tasman.
Mr Key said about a million Australians visited his country each year. ''What we can do to make that process less painful, to make it more like a domestic experience and to streamline it, I think is very important,'' he said.
The leaders emphasised that close economic co-operation was vital to help both countries ride out the global economic crisis, increase productivity, maintain and drive job creation, foster international competitiveness and improve the business environment.
They agreed to tackle with new intensity the creation of a seamless trans-Tasman economy for consumers and businesses and to co-ordinate development aid in the Pacific.