Trans-Tasman bubble: Qld Govt cautious on expansion

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wants the NZ Prime Minister to visit Queensland, but the state’s top travel baron would rather she go elsewhere.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has called for the Federal Government to hold off expanding the nation’s international travel bubble until every Australian was vaccinated.

Ms Palaszczuk welcomed the trans-Tasman bubble and invited New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to holiday in Queensland.

However, the Premier cautioned against ambitious openings with other countries such as those in Asia.

“I think New Zealand is a good first step, but I don’t think we should be opening up to any other country until we have the vaccine rollout complete,” she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday highlighted Singapore, Japan and South Korea as possible travel bubble destinations, but warned it would still be some months before Australians can freely travel there.

Australia and New Zealand will have two-way quarantine-free travel from April 19.

The Prime Minister said on Tuesday that his government is looking at other countries for travel bubbles, but was not yet in a position to set up New Zealand-style arrangements.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, Jacinda Ardern and Graham Turner

“These things are regularly assessed by the chief medical officer and we have looked at places like Singapore and Japan and South Korea, and countries like this,” he said.

“But at this stage we are not in a position to move forward on any of those at this point.”

Queensland travel behemoth Flight Centre recorded a staggering 1000 trans-Tasman bookings in the hours after the New Zealand travel bubble was announced, and CEO Graham Turner expects more will follow.

“It’s a good start, but people have to have a think about it,” he said.

“The real key is that if this works from the outset then it will help bring confidence back.”

He maintained concerns that travel between the countries would open and close with minor COVID-19 outbreaks, and said Ms Ardern should pay a visit to NSW and “learn a thing or two about managing COVID”.

Mr Turner has been critical of Queensland’s hard lockdowns, which have battered his travel empire.

In contrast, NSW has used a system of targeted lockdowns to largely remain open for business in the past several months.

Mr Turner welcomed other countries such as Singapore, South Korea and Japan joining the travel bubble.