Scott Morrison will be confronted with lingering and thorny trans-Tasman disagreements as he makes his first brief visit to New Zealand as prime minister.
Mr Morrison will arrive in NZ on Friday for a whirlwind series of events with Kiwi counterpart Jacinda Ardern as part of an annual exchange between the countries.
With both nations recently turning their attention to the Pacific in the face of China's growing influence, regional security, marine biosecurity and asylum seekers are expected to take top billing in formal talks.
Jacinta Ardern and Scott Morrison meet for a bilateral meeting during the 2018 ASEAN Summit in Singapore. Source: AAP
But Ms Ardern this week told reporters she wouldn't let go of ongoing concerns about the deportation of New Zealand-passport holders from Australia since 2014 and citizenship rights for Kiwis.
"You'll see us being pretty consistent in some of the issues that we have raised with Australia over the last few years, with successive governments," she said.
While Ms Ardern and Malcolm Turnbull dined together in Sydney and Mr Morrison's predecessor had a notable bromance with former NZ PM Sir John Key, Mr Morrison won't be hanging around long.
Flying in and out of Auckland in less than half a day, he'll be formally welcomed, attend a wreath laying and a series of meetings for about three hours of face-time with the Kiwi PM.
"'[We'll] be engaging in all the things we usually would do," Ms Ardern said of the brevity of the trip.
"It is understandable, though. The prime minister is in election year and there will be other calls on his time."
The pair met last year in Singapore.
Before becoming PM, Mr Morrison spent more than his fair share of time in New Zealand, becoming acquainted with its biggest visitor draw cards as director of New Zealand's newly-created Office of Tourism and Sport in the late 1990s.
