A week after a botched attempt at trans-Tasman humour, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon will make a two-day visit to Australia.
Beginning on Thursday, Mr Luxon will spend time in Sydney and Canberra and meet Anthony Albanese for the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders Meeting.
Attention will be paid to Mr Luxon's communication style while in Australia.
In parliament last week, Mr Luxon said, "In my dealings with Australians it always pays to be incredibly simple" as he attempted to side-step a local controversy over removing Maori phrases from government communications.
Mr Albanese brushed off the joke, calling Mr Luxon a friend.
"I often think that whilst we both speak English, sometimes we need interpreters with the Kiwi accent. From time to time, things can be missed," he said.
Of more importance to the trans-Tasman talks is the breakdown of an agreement brokered by Jacinda Ardern for Australia to deport fewer criminals to New Zealand.
NZ has long petitioned Australia to reconsider its practice of sending criminals who do not have family or community across the ditch, given the poor chance of rehabilitation.
Finding themselves in NZ without support networks, many so-called 501 deportees have joined gangs.
In early 2023, Mr Albanese announced his government would adopt a new "common sense" approach, allowing adopted Kiwis with long residencies in Australia, or those with children, to stay.
That approach was turfed in June 2024 amid protest from Mr Luxon, who called them wrong.
Given the recent changes, It is not yet clear how the policy shift - taken by since-ditched Immigration Minister Andrew Giles - has affected the flow of deportees.
Immigration could also join deportees on the policy agenda, given the record numbers of Kiwis looking to call Australia home.
Outward migration has surged in recent months, with many decamping to Australia.
NZ welcomed hundreds of thousands of migrants to fill labour shortages following COVID-19, but many have since left, as have Kiwi citizens, given the flatlining economy.
In 2023, a net 27,000 people left NZ for Australia, the highest number for a decade, including a net 17,500 citizens.
Of course, disagreements are far fewer than common approaches on the trans-Tasman agenda.
Mr Luxon's right-leaning coalition government have enthusiastically sought to align with Australia on foreign and defence policy since coming to office in November 2023.
"Working hand in hand is vital as we face an increasingly challenging global environment," Mr Luxon said.
"I look forward to sitting down with my friend, Prime Minister Albanese, to discuss areas of common interest."
While in Sydney, Mr Luxon will meet with NSW ministers on an infrastructure-focused trip, and deliver a speech at the Lowy Institute.
This will be Mr Luxon's first Australia-New Zealand Leaders Meeting, though not his first visit to Australia as prime minister.
He made Sydney his first official trip in December 2023 and has strong ties to Australia, living in Sydney for Unilever from 1995 to 2000.
His son Will is an Australian citizen. His daughter Olivia graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2023 and continues to live in Australia.
The leaders meeting will also be the first for Andrew Needs, appointed as New Zealand's High Commissioner to Australia earlier in 2024.
