Queensland travel bubble with Kiwis likely by end of year as Ardern adds support
Families separated by the Tasman Sea may yet get to reunite at Christmas after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s most optimistic comments on the resumption of regular travel arrangements with Australia.
COVID-19 brought to trans-Tasman travel to a near standstill earlier this year, with both countries slapping heavy restrictions on incoming and outgoing trips and carriers all but abandoning routes due to unprofitability.
Australiaās Trade Minister Simon Birmingham also supports the establishment of a bubble this year, suggesting Australia may allow Kiwis to visit without the 14-day quarantine given New Zealandās strong record of keeping the coronavirus out.
Currently, New Zealand is only allowing Kiwi citizens and Australians who normally reside in NZ, with limited exemptions for humanitarian or economic reasons, to enter, and is mandating a 14-day quarantine.
However Ardern believes a shift in approach from the Australian government ādoes open up opportunitiesā for travel without the fortnight-long isolation.
āThe Australians have moved on their previous plans,ā she told TVNZ.
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āPreviously they wanted a whole of Australia approach and we said that would slow things down.
āTheyāre now moving to a hotspot regime where certain parts (of Australia) wonāt be able to be part of free movement between Australia and across the Tasman.
āWeāre working through the differences that would make for New Zealand and the arrangements we would need to ensure that if weāre opening up to one state that border is contained to ensure its safe for New Zealanders.ā
On Sunday, Ardernās deputy Winston Peters said he was working āas hard as we possibly canā towards the resumption of travel, adding āsome were saying by Christmas. We should be able to do it much sooner than thatā.
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Ardern said a trans-Tasman bubble to some states, naming Queensland specifically, should be possible before the end of the year.
āIt is possible,ā she said.
āWhat weād need to be assured of is when Australia is saying āweāve got a hotspot over hereā that the border around that hotspot means we arenāt able to travel into the states we are engaging with on trans-Tasman travel.ā
Given New Zealandās continued commitment to its much-vaunted COVID-19 elimination strategy, that may mean Queenslanders are able to travel to New Zealand before they can visit Melbourne.
āWeāve got a strategy of having a COVID-free country. Thatās our ongoing goal and way of operating,ā Ardern confirmed.
It remains to be seen whether New Zealandās re-engagement with Australia on the trans-Tasman bubble will also allow for travel with Pacific countries.
The Victorian outbreak led Ardernās government to further plans to open to the Cook Islands, with a view to other island nations, but the Labour leader has stressed a high degree of caution owing to the deficiency in health care in the Pacific.
-AAP
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