Jacinda Ardern says Australia, NZ travel bubble ‘possible’ by Christmas

NZ Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says trans-Tasman travel could happen “much sooner” than Christmas – but there’s a catch.

New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says a trans-Tasman travel bubble could be here “much, much sooner” than Christmas – but there’s one key measure that could become a roadblock.

Earlier today, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says “it’s possible” trans-Tasman travel could happen before Christmas amid speculation a travel bubble with NSW is imminent.

The Australian government is looking at a plan that would initially allow for New Zealand residents to come here in a trans-Tasman bubble, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

Those travellers wouldn’t be required to quarantine once they arrived in Australia.

It’s expected NSW residents would later be able to also travel across the ditch by Christmas time, with Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham saying it was up to New Zealand to decide when it opened up to Australian travellers.

New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters says the bubble could be here “much, much sooner” than Christmas. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said a state-by-state bubble is how she sees it working with Australia. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images.

But Mr Peters told Channel 9’s Today Show that while Christmas had been floated as a target date, the travel corridor could be here “much, much sooner” than December 25 providing both nations nail the process of contact tracing.

“If we have the safe travel and tracing operations running as they should … then I think it [travel bubble] can be much, much sooner,” he said.

“But it is over to the authorities to ensure that it happens both ways.

“Personally if we can ensure that both Australia and New Zealand are safe in what we seek to do, it is very important that we get our tourism back on track as fast as we possibly can.”

Mr Peters said New Zealand had never given up hope on opening the bubble with Australia, despite a second wave of COVID-19 cases erupting in Victoria in June.

“We have worked on it very staunchly for a long time and the real issue is whether or not we can ensure that the protocols work for both countries,” he said.

“We need to look very seriously at the concept because in many ways, apart from the end of the Auckland spike we have had, we are raring to go and the sooner to get going the better.”

NSW may be the first state to open to New Zealand. Picture: NCA NewsWire/POOL/Bianca De Marchi

RELATED: Follow our live coronavirus coverage

The federal government has approached the NSW government to discuss different options of opening with New Zealand, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

The renewed discussions over the trans-Tasman bubble come as NSW continues to report low coronavirus numbers, with Monday reporting another day of zero cases.

This morning, Ms Ardern said a state-by-state approach with Australia was the most likely way travel would resume between the two countries.

Previous discussions about a whole-of-Australia approach was put on ice after Melbourne’s deadly second wave.

“We did suggest it would be up to them (Australia), but if they did move state by state, that might free things up a little sooner,” Ms Ardern told TVNZ1’s Breakfast.

Asked specifically if state bubbles could be open before Christmas, Ms Ardern said “it is possible”.

New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister says we may be flying to New Zealand much earlier than Christmas. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

RELATED: coronavirus Victoria: Melbourne’s restrictions eased further

“What we’d need to be assured of is when Australia is saying they have a hotspot (in one state), that the border around that hotspot means that people aren’t able to travel into the states where we are engaging with, with trans-Tasman travel,” she added,

“We’ve got a strategy of having a COVID-free country, that’s our ongoing goal and way of operating, and other states have actually operated like that too, like Queensland.”

On Sunday, Federal Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Simon Birmingham told the Today Show he was hopeful Aussies would be able to travel to New Zealand by the end of 2020.

“We’re working hard to make sure every safety precaution and measure is in place through our airports, our border protections, screening processes, to make sure people can travel safely between Australia and New Zealand without risk of encountering other air travellers that may be coming in from higher risk countries,” Mr Birmingham said on Sunday.

“Ultimately, whether New Zealand opens up to Australia will be a matter for New Zealand, but we are working to make sure we’re ready and hopefully we can see those steps taken this year.”

The travel bubble would at first only be open to residents of the South Island, as the country deals with a cluster of cases on the North Island.

NSW reported zero new cases of coronavirus on Sunday — the first time the state has reported no cases for more than three months.

“NSW Health thanks the community for all they have done towards reducing COVID-19 numbers, and continues to ask people to remain vigilant and come forward for testing immediately if symptoms like a runny nose, scratchy throat, cough or fever appear,” NSW Health said on Sunday.

“This is particularly important with the start of school holidays and increased movement of people around the state.”