Economy

Australia and New Zealand provide low cost commercial environments maintained by efficient infrastructures and spare resource capacity. Labour costs in both countries are amongst the lowest in the OECD. Salaries are generally less than half those in Japan, Europe and the United States.

Australia is ranked third in the OECD for IT spending as a percentage of GDP.

Australia's economy is larger than the economies of Hong Kong, Singapore and Ireland combined and produces almost double its domestic energy requirements providing business with low cost natural gas and electric energy.

New Zealand's economy is focused mainly on trade and approximately one third of total goods and services are exported.

Many UK and US companies (including Allied Telesyn, Invacare and Invensys in the electronics sector) have established R&D and manufacturing centres in New Zealand to capitalise on the country's high skill levels and low labour costs.