Overview of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement
This page provides an overview of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) outlining how it facilitates the movement of goods and people in registered occupations across the Tasman.
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The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) is a non-treaty arrangement between the Government of New Zealand, and the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments of Australia that provides for the mutual recognition of goods and occupational registration. It is implemented into law in New Zealand and Australia under mirror legislations, with the New Zealand version being the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (TTMR Act).
There is a separate Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) that applies internally among the jurisdictions of Australia. The TTMRA is built upon, and is a natural extension of, the MRA. It represents a deepening of the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA).
The TTMRA is a unique example of regulatory cooperation that reflects the close relationship between New Zealand and Australia. The TTMRA was premised on both countries’ trust and confidence in the outcomes of the other country’s regulatory regimes, regardless of differences that may exist between them. There are safeguards built into the TTMRA in the event that there is significant divergence in regulatory approaches.
Read the TTMRA
Arrangement between the Australian parties and New Zealand relating to Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition [PDF 169KB]
TTMRA explained: Facilitating a single economic market across the Tasman
Video Transcript
Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement principles
The TTMR Act has 2 core principles:
The goods principle
Under the goods principle, a good that can legally be sold in New Zealand can legally be sold in an Australian jurisdiction, and vice versa, regardless of differences in regulatory sales requirements between the two places.
The goods principle means that if a good complies with all regulatory sales requirements in its home jurisdiction (for example product standards, packaging requirements) it can be sold in the other without additionally having to comply with the destination jurisdiction’s regulatory sales requirements.
TTMRA explained: Breaking down trade barriers across the Tasman
Video Transcript
The occupations principle
Under the occupations principle, an individual who is registered to practise an occupation in New Zealand can register to practise the equivalent occupation in an Australian jurisdiction, and vice versa, without having to undergo any additional testing or examination.
The TTMRA covers occupations where some form of authorisation is required by law before a person can carry out that occupation. An equivalent occupation means the activities a person is allowed to do under each registration is the same or substantially the same. The occupation would need to be registered in both places for the TTMRA to operate.
TTMRA explained: Supporting skill mobility across the Tasman
Video Transcript
Purpose and benefits of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement
The impetus for the TTMRA came from government recognition that there were regulatory impediments to trade between New Zealand and Australia. These were often in the form of:
- different standards for goods;
- duplicative testing and certification requirements; and
- different regulatory requirements for those wishing to practice in registered occupations.
The TTMRA promotes economic integration and facilitates the movement of goods and people in registered occupations across the Tasman. It is intended to make it easier for businesses in New Zealand and Australia to export their goods to the other country, and for registered practitioners to move between the 2 countries.
The TTMRA means greater flexibility, wider choice of products and lower business compliance costs for exporters operating on either side of the Tasman. It also means easier movement of people in registered occupations across the Tasman. Because of this, the TTMRA is central to driving deeper levels of regulatory policy coordination and integration between Australia and New Zealand, and a key instrument towards our shared goal of a single economic market.
Reviews of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement
Previous reviews of the TTMRA have been conducted by the Australian Productivity Commission (APC). The reviews assess the effectiveness of the TTMRA in fostering and enhancing trade and workforce mobility between Australia and New Zealand and consider changes to the arrangement or related legislation as required to improve the coverage and operation of the arrangement.
The APC completed its most recent evaluation of the mutual recognition schemes in 2015. As part of its review, the APC used open and transparent public consultation processes. It received submissions from a wide range of stakeholders in the public and private sector, that were considered as part of the review. Access the New Zealand Government submission:
New Zealand Government submission to the Australian Productivity Commission on the 2014 Review of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement [PDF 224 KB](external link) — Productivity Commission
The review found that the TTMRA is generally working well. However, the Commission noted that the benefits of the arrangement risk slowly being eroded due to regulators not always implementing mutual recognition as required, weak oversight, and an increase in the number of goods and related laws permanently kept outside the scope of the schemes. The review also identified several areas where the TTMRA could be improved, namely:
- re-introducing certain goods which are currently exempt from the scope of the scheme (for example road vehicles, hazardous substances).
- clarifying that occupational registration bodies have authority to impose certain requirements on registrants from other jurisdictions (for example background checks, continuing professional development requirements).
- improving governance arrangements of the scheme.
Read the findings of the APC’s 2015 review:
Mutual recognition schemes: Research report(external link) — Australian Government Productivity Commission
Before the reform of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2020, the Cross-Jurisdictional Review Forum (CJRF), made up of officials from each participating jurisdiction, was established to monitor the operation of the TTMRA and the internal MRA, and implement the findings from the APC reviews. The CJRF published a Progress Report on Responses to the Productivity Commission’s 2009 Review of Mutual Recognition Schemes in July 2014.
Cross Jurisdictional Review Progress Report(external link) — Australian Government Department of Education
Following the Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting (ANZLM) on 16 August 2024, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, issued a joint statement announcing they are “committed to reinvigorating the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) to ensure a seamless market for goods and the mutual recognition of occupational registration across the Tasman. They tasked agencies to implement the industry-consulted joint work plan to address identified issues, as well as to build industry awareness of the TTMRA and take full advantage of its benefits”. Work is underway at the officials’ level to progress the industry-consulted joint work plan.
Contact us
If you still have questions, get in contact with us by emailing TTMRA.