Time for visa free travel to and from Australia and NZ has now arrived – Prof. Prasad

Australia and New Zealand must be part of the Pacific story and a starting point for that must be visa free access to Pacific Island countries to these two countries and the time to do this is ‘now’.

This was highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad while delivering his keynote address at the 11th Pacific Update Conference at the University of the South Pacific campus in Laucala today.

Professor Prasad says a unified Pacific wide single market must include Australia and New Zealand and Fijian and Pacific businesses must be able to grow in the Australia and the New Zealand markets.

He says similarly, Australian and New Zealand businesses should be able to expand across the Pacific and out of this, we will create large businesses who will be able to stand their ground better in a new geo-economic universe.

Professor Prasad says it simply cannot continue to be the case that it is easier for Lithuanians to travel in and out of Australia than it is for Fijians.

He also says it simply cannot continue to be the case that Latvians have easier travel access into New Zealand than do Solomon Islanders.

Professor Prasad says the Pacific Update is the premier forum for discussion of economic, social, political, and environmental issues in the region which is co-hosted by the Development Policy Centre of the Australian National University and the USP.