No open New Zealand’s borders for ‘a long time’, trans-Tasman free travel zone between Australia and NZ is possible

Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. Photo: NZ Herald. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

WELLINGTON, May 5, 2020, BBC, NZ Herald. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country will not have open borders with the rest of the world for “a long time to come,” BBC reported.

Ms Ardern was speaking after attending part of Australia’s cabinet meeting via video link.

The meeting discussed a possible “trans-Tasman bubble”, where people could go between Australia and New Zealand freely, and without quarantine.

But she said visitors from further afield were not possible any time soon.

Both Australia and New Zealand have closed their borders to almost all foreigners as part of their Covid-19 response.

What did Jacinda Ardern say?

Ms Ardern said New Zealand and Australia were discussing a “bubble of sorts between us, a safe zone of travel”.

She stressed there was “a lot of work to be done before we can progress…but it’s obviously been floated because of the benefits it would bring”.

But, in response to a question about the country’s tourism sector, Ms Ardern said: “We will not have open borders for the rest of the world for a long time to come.”

Tourism is one of New Zealand’s biggest industries, directly employing almost 10% of the country’s workforce, and contributing almost 6% of GDP.

Most visitors are from Australia, followed by China, the US, and the UK.

What is the virus situation in Australia and New Zealand?

Ms Ardern said any “trans-Tasman bubble” was only possible because of “the world leading actions” of both countries.

On Tuesday, New Zealand reported no new cases for the second day in a row.

It has had fewer than 1,500 confirmed cases in total, and only 20 deaths. Last week it eased its lockdown from Level 4 to Level 3.

Australia – which has a population of around 25 million, five times that of New Zealand – has had almost 7,000 cases and 96 deaths.

But it, too, has “flattened the curve” of infections, and various states and territories have also eased their lockdowns.

The trans-Tasman bubble would ease travel restrictions between the two counties and would be put in place once the necessary health, transport and other protocols had been developed, the two prime ministers said in a joint statement, NZ Herald reported.

The pair said the arrangement recognised both Australia and New Zealand were successfully addressing the spread of Covid-19.

“Building on our success so far in responding to Covid-19, continuing to protect Australians and New Zealanders remains an absolute priority.

“We will remain responsive to the health situation as it develops.”

Morrison said it was good to have Ardern join their Cabinet meeting and the primary purpose was for her to share New Zealand’s response to the virus with his colleagues.

He said the pair had been talking about the trans-Tasman bubble “for several” weeks.

The obvious start to connecting Australia with the rest of the world was to start with New Zealand, Morrison said.

The private sector and other stakeholders had expressed interest in the arrangement and officials would work closely with those groups, including the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum.

But the trans-Tasman bubble would need to take into account state and territorial movement restrictions. There are currently bans on travelling between some states in Australia.

“A trans-Tasman Covid-safe travel zone would be mutually beneficial, assisting our trade and economic recovery, helping kick-start the tourism and transport sectors, enhancing sporting contacts, and reuniting families and friends.

“We need to be cautious as we progress this initiative. Neither country wants to see the virus rebound so it’s essential any such travel zone is safe. Relaxing travel restrictions at an appropriate time will clearly benefit both countries and demonstrates why getting on top of the virus early is the best strategy for economic recovery,” the prime ministers said.

The prime ministers said they’d worked together on Australia’s and New Zealand’s respective border settings since the Covid-19 pandemic began as each country had allowed the other’s citizens to transit on their way home.

The work on the trans-Tasman Covid-safe travel zone reflected Australia and New Zealand’s special relationship, the Single Economic Market agenda and the long history of freedom of movement between the two countries, the leaders said.

“Our relationship is one of family – and our unique travel arrangement means we have a head-start for when it is time to get trans-Tasman travel flowing again.”

Once the travel arrangements across the Tasman were established, they would then look to include other Pacific countries which were interested in joining.

Morrison told media the arrangement was “still some time away”.

Ardern was invited by Morrison to the meeting, which included the Premiers and chief ministers of all states and territories. The last New Zealand prime minister to join was Peter Fraser during World War II.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters said the Australasian population had to see itself “as one” with a system united in the attack on Covid-19.

Peters wanted it to be treated as a matter of “critical urgency”.

Fifty-five per cent of New Zealand’s tourists were Australians while New Zealanders were the second-largest group of tourists in Australia.

“We’ve got a lot at stake here so we’ve got to think outside the square and think as one ANZAC nation.”

If both countries had the same technology, utilities and “had that confidence” the bubble could go ahead.

Asked whether he’s like to see the transtasman bubble by the start of the ski season, Peters said:

“Urgency is everything at the moment. I know we’ve got to defeat Covid-19 but at the same time we’ve got to get this economy turned around and with the greatest of speed. Every day of delay is a day of setback.”

Peters wanted a public-private sector taskforce to work on the transtasman bubble.

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