Kiwis set for takeoff?

WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says people will not have to wait ‘‘too long’’ for a transtasman travel bubble.

A draft blueprint covering all aspects could be ready within a week.

Ms Ardern would not be drawn on any further details about when the bubble might open, but the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has an aspirational timeframe to have transtasman flights by July 1.

‘‘We are saying that New Zealand travel will definitely commence on July 1 and from 10 September we will consider whether other bubbles can commence,’’ chamber chairman John Hart told 7NEWS in Australia yesterday.

Whether it could open with some Australian states but not with others still needed to be worked out, and Ms Ardern has said it was up to Australia to decide.

In Australia, active Covid19 cases have dropped below 500 people, while New Zealand’s last coronavirus patient has been discharged from hospital.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said the bubble could start with Tasmania and New South Wales, and ‘‘pretty soon’’ Queensland as well.

‘‘I’m saying to Australians ‘don’t let the federal system be an obstacle’.

‘‘Let’s start with the states that are ready, and the rest will chime in pretty soon,’’ Mr Peters said.

‘‘We do not want to be looking at criteria when the balloon goes up, so to speak. We’ve got to be ready, and now.’’

The TransTasman Safe Border Group — coordinated by the

Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum — has been working on a draft blueprint to be presented to both governments in early June.

Aspects being worked through include preflight health requirements and eligibility, protections on board an aircraft, movement through airports, and contacttracing once people have landed.

‘‘Our aim is to put forward a detailed set of recommendations that safely manage any health risks, while also allowing Kiwis and Australians to travel to each country without the need for a 14day quarantine,’’ said group cochairman Scott Tasker, who also works for Auckland Airport.

The group is made up of 11 government agencies, six airports, two airlines, and includes health experts and airline, airport and border agency representatives from both Australia and New Zealand.

Ms Ardern spoke with her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison this week and said there was much enthusiasm from both sides of the Tasman.

The transtasman bubble was not ready yet, but the wait would not be ‘‘too long’’.

Each country is considered vital to the success of each other’s small and mediumsized businesses, including respective tourism sectors, where there is an estimated $3 billion in international visitor spend each way every year.

Mr Peters also said he wanted New Zealand to move to Alert Level 1 on Tuesday, but Cabinet had decided by consensus to go with public health advice to stay at Level 2 for at least two, twoweek incubation periods.

‘‘We think it’s urgent, and we’re just reflecting what a significant number of New Zealand businesspeople think, and workers think,’’ Mr Peters said.

Ms Ardern said on Tuesday there had been disagreement within Cabinet about when to move to Level 1, including from New Zealand First Cabinet members, and yesterday said that was not unusual in a coalition government.