PM on trans-Tasman bubble: We are not there yet

28th April 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern says she is keen to see a trans-Tasman travel bubble but she is not willing to jeopardise the health of New Zealanders by opening the border too soon.

Ardern made the comments yesterday at the Government’s daily update on Covid-19, where she said New Zealand had currently eliminated community transmission of Covid-19.

Jacinda Ardern

The prospect of a trans-Tasman travel bubble has been promoted as a vital step in regenerating the country’s beleaguered tourism sector, and Ardern said she had spoken to Australian prime minister Scott Morrison about the possibility.

“I think we would all agree that is a situation we would all like to be in, but, of course, our number one focus at the moment is making sure that both our countries are in the position where we are domestically managing Covid-19 to a point where we can with confidence open those borders,” Ardern said.

However, she added New Zealand was “not there yet, but we are keeping that in mind”.

“One thing I’m not willing to do is jeopardise the position New Zealand has gotten itself into by moving too soon to open our borders up, even to Australia at present,” Ardern said.

“That is something though that we are absolutely keeping in mind, that we’d like to work towards, but I think both countries need to feel confident that we can do that without putting at risk either country’s health or economy.”

Ardern said she put the Pacific Islands in the same category.

“We do have to be particularly cautious. Our Pacific neighbours in large part have not been afflicted by Covid-19 and the last thing we would want is to risk that.”

The prospect of allowing travel between New Zealand and Australia involving quarantine was more likely in the near future.

“If we are in a position where we are wanting to open up to those who are living in Australia currently who wish to come into New Zealand but are willing to quarantine themselves, then that is something that we could consider,” Ardern said.

“We need to keep in mind though constantly maintaining the capacity to do that safely and to do that well.”