Expect Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to meet Kiwi counterpart Bill English in Queenstown late next week.
According to informed sources, the pair’s pow-wow will take place next Thursday and Friday, though it’ll likely be officially confirmed only days beforehand.
Media interest will be high given the leaders’ contrasting calls with new United States President Donald Trump.
It’s tradition for the Australian and New Zealand leaders to hold formal talks each year – Queenstown’s hosted them three times.
Jim Bolger met Paul Keating in 1993, Jenny Shipley hosted John Howard in 2000 and John Key received Julia Gillard in 2013.
Sandwiched between their official talks, Gillard and Key laid wreaths at the Queenstown Memorial Gates and they and their spouses shopped in Arrowtown.
For English, next week’s summit will be his first official visit to the resort since taking over from Key in December.
English was formerly the Clutha-Southland member of parliament before switching to the party list in 2014.
scoop@scene.co.nz