A new business-led group will investigate and recommend how to safely reopen the borders between Australia and New Zealand after both countries committed to introduce a "Covid-safe" travel zone as soon as it is safe.
The leaders of New Zealand and Australia yesterday agreed to ease travel restrictions between the two countries as soon as it is safe to do so. Photo: 123rf.com
Government officials will work closely with industry groups, including the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, which is co-ordinating a Trans-Tasman Safe Border Group.
The working group will involve about 20 experts from both sides of the Tasman who will provide recommendations for safely reopening the borders, and share this with ministers in both countries.
*See all RNZ coverage of Covid-19
The leadership forum's Australian co-chair, Ann Sherry, said the group will include experts from the health sector as well as airline, airport and border agency representatives.
"Both countries have been successful in containing the spread of Covid-19 to date, and it makes sense for Australia and New Zealand to look to each other first to reopen our borders, when the time is right and it's safe for us to do so," she said.
Tourism is New Zealand's biggest export market, and Australians made up almost half of the international visitor arrivals last year while Kiwis account for 15 percent of international visitors to Australia.
Sherry said trans-Tasman travel would be an important part of both countries' economic rebuild.
The group will focus on recommendations for a range of operational components, as well as inflight protocols, border processing, embarking and disembarking and health requirements such as testing and contact tracing for visitors in country.
Auckland Airport is part of the working group and its chief executive Adrian Littlewood said it would take a collective effort to develop solutions, but he hoped all parts of the system would be ready to go when the health evidence supported it.
"While our countries continue to focus on the number one priority of getting the virus under control, we can start planning and testing for what might be possible in the future to help us connect again with family and friends and to safely support the restart of tourism and trade," he said.
Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:
- See all RNZ Covid-19 news
- Your Covid-19 questions answered - from health and employment to managing anxiety
- A timeline: How the coronavirus started, spread and stalled life in New Zealand
- Covid-19 symptoms: What they are and how they make you feel
- Touching your Face: Why do we do it and how to stop
- Scientific hand-washing advice to avoid infection
- Coronavirus: A glossary of terms
- Sign up for the Covid-19 newsletter for the big news - and some things to make you smile
- The Coronavirus Podcast