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New Zealand is slowly getting closer to establishing its first travel bubble, with the prime minister announcing that a reconnaissance team will head to the Cook Islands on Saturday.
If the trip goes smoothly, a travel bubble could be established within fifteen days, the prime minister said.
The news came as Jacinda Ardern held her first post-cabinet press conference since being reelected in a landslide victory in the October general election.
The Cook Islands have been declared Covid-19 free and have been advocating a travel bubble for months, saying their economy is being decimated by a complete lack of tourism, the main driver of their small economy.
“The harsh truth is that if this goes on much longer, we will come to you for help one way or another,” said Fletcher Melvin, chairman of the Cook Islands private sector task force in July, addressing the government of New Zealand. . “Our community wants a hand, not a handout; we would rather have New Zealand tourism dollars than your aid money. “
Golriz Ghahraman
(@golrizghahraman)It’s great to hear our PM commit to a Pasifika travel bubble. # COVID-19 it has meant a devastating economic collapse in our Pacific neighborhood. I renew my call, with my friend @IlhanMusica Y @SenSanders cancel the debt of developing nations now, save lives and acknowledge historical inequity
New Zealand has been pursuing a Covid elimination strategy and has been reluctant to open its borders to anyone, including the Pacific Islands, after closing them in mid-March.
Governments across the Pacific are also concerned that if the virus were to achieve a significant presence in the region, it could devastate island communities, which have limited public health infrastructure, and populations with high rates of comorbidities such as diabetes.
Meanwhile, Ardern again appeared to splash cold water on a travel bubble with Australia in the near future, saying his government was concerned about the community transmission threshold in Australia.
The prime minister said it was her understanding that a community spread alert was not issued in Australia until 10 or more cases emerged over three consecutive days, a threshold that seemed “very high” for New Zealand.
“We have an elimination strategy and something like 10 cases per day would be indicative of a much larger problem,” Ardern said. “So that’s what we have to worry about.”
The prime minister said she last spoke with her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison ten days ago, following his election victory, and was seeking clarity on several points before the trans-Tasman bubble progressed.
Australia currently allows New Zealanders to enter several of its states, but the arrangement is not reciprocal, and all New Zealanders who choose to visit Australia must enter administered isolation for two weeks upon returning to New Zealand.
New Zealand’s borders remain closed to all nationalities, including Australian citizens.
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