New Zealand Keen on ‘Trans-Tasman Bubble’ With Australia, Says Deputy PM

(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand and Australia could open their borders to each other if they continue to make good progress containing the coronavirus, according to New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

“Our figures with Australia, it’s almost like we’ve got a trans-Tasman bubble between our two countries, and if the figures keep on going that way, that is a serious possibility,” he told Television New Zealand on Thursday, referring to the Tasman Sea that separates the two nations. “We’re exploring that as we speak.”

Asked about the possibility at a news conference later Thursday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said such an idea had been discussed with Singapore but stressed it was unlikely until the countries were confident they were containing the virus. She expected to have similar conversations with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, she said.

“Both of us have the same goal in mind at the moment -- get it under control in our own countries and then we can talk about together what we’re able to achieve,” Ardern said. “For both of us I anticipate the border restrictions will be present for a long time, so it becomes whether or not there’s anything we can build into our border restrictions that take into account our goals to keep Covid out for both of us.”

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