parliamentary debate on the ratification of the agreement itself. Vitalis also led the New Zealand AANZFTA 'roadshow' which promoted the opportunities presented by this plurilateral agreement to New Zealand stakeholders in all of the main centres of New Zealand. New Zealand High Commission, Canberra, Australia (2009-2011) Following the successful conclusion of AANZFTA, Vitalis was appointed the New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra from 2009 to 2011, during which time he also completed the Malaysia-New Zealand FTA. The relationship with Australia is New Zealand's most significant and the High Commission is New Zealand's largest globally. Following the retirement of the High Commissioner, Dr John Larkindale, Vitalis was Acting High Commissioner from November 2010 to May 2011. His period as Acting High Commissioner coincided with Australian Prime Minister Gillard's historic address to the New Zealand Parliament and the Christchurch earthquake following which both then Prime Minister Gillard and Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbot along with Foreign Minister Rudd were invited by Vitalis to the New Zealand High Commission in Canberra to sign the official condolence book for the victims of the earthquake in New Zealand's second largest city In 2009-10, Vitalis was instrumental in t<he establishment by New Zealand of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFFSR) grouping. This non-G20 group of countries has two inter-related objectives: to support the G20's ambitions for reform and elimination of fossil fuel subsidies; and to support the need for greater transparency regarding the data for such subsidies. Vitalis spoke at the launch of the initiative in June 2010 and also at a GSI-UNEP-WTO Conference on the subject later that year. The FFFSR currently comprises Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and Sweden. The grouping has been active at APEC and the UNFCCC to advance its case that reform of fossil fuel subsidies can make a meaningful difference to both economic and environmental outcomes. In this regard, the FFFSR works closely with a leading NGO, the Global Subsidies Initiative based in Geneva. The initial meetings of the FFFSR were held in Paris to coincide with Vitalis' travel to Paris to chair the OECD Committee on Trade and Environment. In 2010, Vitalis was invited to Manila by the Asian Development Bank to present a paper as part of its regional economic integration seminar series. The paper essentially argues that preferential trade agreements could in fact be drivers of meaningful liberalisation and thus