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It’s raised the prospect of a trans-Tasman ‘bubble’, with travel between New Zealand and Australia allowed whilst both countries restrict entry to others.
“I think what we all agree that is a situation we would all like to be in,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said last week.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Newshub Nation on Saturday officials from both nations are working towards that “situation”.
“Because we are doing so well against COVID-19, it’s possible for us to … have a shared border in the event of us making sure our border security is first-rate in both countries … We are working on it at this point in time to see what can be done as soon as possible to reopen our markets.After all, for so many of our business people, particularly small business, Australia is a big market for New Zealand, and vice versa for Australia.
“When it comes to tourism, 55 percent of tourists coming to New Zealand have been Australian, and we’re Australia’s second-biggest [source of tourists].
“So you can see the mutuality of opening up this economic lifeline together as fast as possible.”
As for opening it up to more nations, he was open to smaller nations that have quashed the spread of the disease.
“South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore – they’re definitely possibilities. But it’s all down to some serious preparatory work so that we are sure every population involved in this arrangement [has] the utmost standards of safety. “
Thailand – population 70 million – has reported fewer than 3000 cases and only 54 deaths. Peters didn’t mention neighboring Vietnam, which has 95 million people and no reported deaths.
