Award type:
Appointment date:
Appointment notes:
Additional Member appointed to mark The Queen’s Visit to New Zealand and the 1990 Commemorations
Michael Duffy, born 1938, served as a Member of the Parliament of Australia from 1980 to 1996, however, he has maintained close connections with New Zealand since his childhood.
He held a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister for Communications, Minister of Trade, and Minister of Trade Negotiations, and was also the Attorney-General of Australia.
As Minister of Trade Negotiations, he was instrumental in negotiating the Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (CER) between Australia and New Zealand, which opened up the market for the free trade of goods and services between the two countries. The CER is now one of the most open economic and trade relationships of any two countries.