page_title: Laurie Francis
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: Laurie Francis / Biography
caption_attribution_description: English: On 28 March 1983 the Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (CER) was signed. The agreement came into force on January 1 1983 but was not signed until the 28 March. The agreement was signed by Australian Deputy Prime Minister Lionel Bowen and the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia, Sir Laurie Francis. One of the most important results of CER was the Protocol on the Acceleration of Free Trade in Goods, which resulted in the total elimination of tariffs or quantitative restrictions between the two countries by 1 July 1990, five years ahead of schedule. Other parts of CER include: goods that can be legally sold in one country can also be legally sold in the other, anyone registered to practice an occupation in one country may practise in the other (with some exemptions including medical practitioners), and service providers may provide services in either country (except in certain areas such as airway services) Further information on the agreement can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website: mfat.govt.nz/Trade-and-Economic-Relations/2-Trade-Relatio... The image presented here is from a collection of photographs transferred to Archives New Zealand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Mr Lionel Bowen and Mr Laurie Francis can be seen signing the agreement in Canberra [AAEG 626 W2879 1/a 1]. This item can be viewed in our Wellington Reading Room. For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ Material supplied by Archives New Zealand
context_page_description: Sir Laurie Justice Francis was a New Zealand lawyer and diplomat. He served as the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia from 1976 to 1984.
context_section_description: Born in Oamaru on 30 August 1918, Francis was educated at Otago Boys' High School and the University of Otago,  where he graduated LLB in 1948. During World War II, Francis serviced with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force after enlisting in 1943. In 1952, he married artist Heather McFarlane, the sister of Shona McFarlane.
  Francis worked as a lawyer in Winton, and from 1962 was a senior partner in a Dunedin law firm. He was active in the National Party, Rotary, the Returned Services' Association, and the Presbyterian church.
  In 1976, Francis was appointed the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia by the Third National Government, and was involved in negotiations for the Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement with Australia. The CER agreement was signed in Canberra by Francis and the Australian deputy prime minister, Lionel Bowen, on 28 March 1983. Francis was the dean of the diplomatic corps in Australia from 1983 to 1985 as the longest-serving diplomat there.
  In the 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours, Francis was appointed a Knight Bachelor, in recognition as his contributions as the high commissioner in Australia. He resigned from the latter position in 1984, returning to Dunedin to work as a legal consultant. He died in Wellington on 3 August 1993, and his ashes were buried at Green Park Cemetery in the Dunedin suburb of Waldronville.
caption: Francis (left) and Lionel Bowen sign the CER agreement in Canberra on 28 March 1983
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