Coronavirus: Trans-Tasman bubble in trouble, Jacinda Ardern says

Hopes of a trans-Tasman bubble before Easter have all but evaporated following Australia’s response to a single COVID case.

New Zealanders have been temporarily barred from quarantine-free travel to Australia following a highly infectious strain of COVID was identified on the North Island. Picture: Brett Costello

Australia’s reaction to a highly infectious COVID case in New Zealand could dash hopes of a trans-Tasman bubble being established before Easter.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday described Australia’s three-day halt to quarantine-free travel by New Zealanders as disappointing, and a potential threat to a trans-Tasman travel arrangement.

Australia had allowed New Zealanders to visit without the need to quarantine since late last year, but the same privilege has not been afforded to Aussies.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Picture: Getty Images

On Monday, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced any kiwis arriving in Australia over the next 72-hours would be required to go into hotel quarantine, after a woman tested positive to a highly infectious South African strain of COVID-19 on Saturday.

The woman had been in hotel quarantine in Auckland and only returned a positive test a week after she was released.

Anyone else who had arrived in Australia from New Zealand since January 14 was urged to get tested and self-isolate until a result was returned.

Australia’s response to the case frustrated the travel industry, and Ms Ardern said she had “expressed her disappointment” in a phone call with Scott Morrison on Monday night.

“I conveyed the confidence that we have in our systems but also just acknowledged that if we are to enter into a trans-Tasman bubble we will need to be able to give people confidence that we won’t see closures at the borders that happen with very short notice over incidents that we believe can be well managed domestically,” she said.

Asked if the response was an “over-reaction” to a single COVID case, Ms Ardern said “ultimately it was a decision for Australia”.

“I certainly shared my view (with Mr Morrison) that this was a situation that was well under control, that we have had experiences in New Zealand with these situations in the past, if we’re going to run a trans-Tasman arrangement we need to be able to manage situations like this.”

Ms Ardern said she remained hopeful a trans-Tasman bubble could be established with Australia by the end of March.

“We are continuing to pursue it but what we will need to establish is a way that we can have that arrangement without seeing such disruption over events that may happen from time to time,” she said.

“One of the challenges is not every state (of Australia) has the same approach as New Zealand and that difference does add a level of complication.”

There had been no further cases in New Zealand linked to the woman with the South African strain. Of 16 close contacts identified, 15 had returned negative tests and one test was still pending.