The New Zealand Cabinet has agreed to the next phase of the trans-Tasman travel bubble and have plans to re-open its borders to Australia in early 2021.
According to Stuff, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the nation’s commitment, claiming that we’re one step closer to quarantine-free travel between NZ and Australia.
They are even hoping to name a specific date “in the New Year, once remaining details are locked down”, Adern revealed in a press conference.
Ardern also announced that said quarantine-free travel arrangements now rest on two important factors: the Australian Government signing off on the agreement and, most importantly, coronavirus case numbers remaining under control.
The trans-Tasman bubble was first introduced back in October, with New Zealand natives permitted to travel to multiple Australian states without needing to undergo a mandatory two weeks in quarantine.
However, said arrangement only went one-way, meaning that Ardern’s announcement could see Australians enjoying the sights and sounds of New Zealand freely.
Adding to this, Arden also mentioned that further work needs to be done before the glorious new stage is enforced.
First on the agenda, New Zealand would need to build a contingency plan for Kiwis to return to New Zealand in case of an unprecedented, large-scale coronavirus outbreak in Australia.
Additionally, their government are also figuring out how to handle passengers and airline staff who would be travelling between both countries.
Either way, 2021 could see a trip to our neighbouring nation sooner than we thought.
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