Quarantine-free travel across the Tasman Sea could be possible within weeks, after New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern committed to forming a bubble with Australia by the end of March 2021.
According to The West Australian, Ms. Ardern used her year end press conference to announce her government has signed off on a timeline for the bubble.
While New Zealand and Australia have no community spread Ms. Ardern has resisted pressure to open NZ’s borders to Australia, saying she is not willing to “take risks right now”.
“The big focus for me right now is everyone in New Zealand to be able to experience and enjoy a free summer. We haven’t taken risks before which means New Zealanders won’t be able to keep their freedoms, and I certainly don’t want to take those risks now.”
The plan is to announce the travel bubble date early in the new year.
Australia’s health minister Greg Hunt said he wanted the two-way bubble to begin as soon as possible.
“We are ready to implement from our side as soon as New Zealand is ready,” Mr Hunt said.
“We understand it may take a few more weeks, but we are working constructively and patiently.”
Kiwis were granted entry to some Australian States from October 16, but Australians were still locked out of traveling to New Zealand.
Mr. Hunt said the beginning of two-way travel signaled a return to “normality”
Australia’s Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the bubble represented “a glimmer of hope” in what had been a tough year for the tourism industry.
“Australia’s tourism industry wants to stand on its own two feet as soon as possible and restarting some two-way quarantine-free international travel with New Zealand is a step in the right direction,” he said.
“New Zealand is a huge part of Australian tourism and getting people moving in a COVID-safe way between our countries will provide an economic lift and save thousands of jobs.”
Given New Zealand’s cabinet isn’t due to meet again until late January, it’s likely the bubble will open in February at the earliest.
