New Zealand, Australia discuss coronavirus ‘travel bubble’ to allow two-way movement

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she will take part in a meeting of Australia’s emergency coronavirus cabinet on Tuesday

Australia, which launched a contact tracing app last week, reported 26 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, while New Zealand recorded no new cases

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The New Zealand Warriors rugby league team, which received special permission to travel to Australia and self-isolate before taking part in a tournament later in May, arrive in Tamworth. This could pave the way for a trans-Tasman travel bubble. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:36pm, 4 May 2020Updated: 10:28pm, 4 May 2020

Australia and New Zealand are discussing the potential creation of a “travel bubble” between the two countries, officials said on Monday, even as Australia reported its highest number of coronavirus cases in two weeks.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will take part in a meeting of Australia’s emergency coronavirus cabinet on Tuesday, stoking speculation that bilateral coronavirus travel bans could be lifted and two-way travel could be permitted in the near future.

“The meeting will discuss a number of matters relating to the Covid response on both sides of the Tasman [Sea], including the creation of a trans-Tasman travel bubble,” she told reporters on Monday, describing her presence at the meeting as unprecedented.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern briefs the media about the country’s Covid-19 response. Photo: AFP

“Both our countries’ strong record on fighting the virus has placed us in the enviable position of being able to plan the next stage in our economic rebuild.”

Ardern said the two-week quarantine periods both Australia and New Zealand currently impose on international arrivals would be mutually waived under the proposal.

She was reluctant to speculate on when it could take effect but warned: “Don’t expect this to happen in a couple of weeks time. We need to ensure that we’re locking in the gains that all New Zealanders have helped us achieve and make sure we have health precautions in place to make sure we do this safely.”