Prime Minister Julia Gillard is set to make history as the first foreign politician to address New Zealand's parliament during her visit to Wellington on Wednesday.
Ms Gillard, on her first official visit across the Tasman since becoming prime minister, has a busy second-day schedule, with a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial and meetings planned with her New Zealand counterpart John Key.
She will also meet New Zealanders who volunteered in the Queensland floods, attend an Order of Australia investiture for a former politician and hold a joint press conference with Mr Key.
However, the highlight of her final day across the ditch is likely to be her address to MPs in the debating chamber, a first-time honour that was to be bestowed on Kevin Rudd before he lost the Labor leadership.
She was originally due to address a sitting session of parliament, but New Zealand's Green Party objected to the invitation, fearing it would compromise New Zealand's sovereignty.
Asked about any embarrassment over being shifted to the debating chamber, Ms Gillard appeared unconcerned.
"I'm absolutely honoured to speak to New Zealand MPs in their parliamentary chamber," she told reporters during the Auckland leg of her trip on Tuesday.
"The details of these arrangements are a matter for New Zealand."
Ms Gillard is due to depart Wellington for Canberra at 5.45pm NZ time (3.45pm AEDT) on Wednesday.
