Australia and New Zealand will form travel bubble in 2021

A one-way travel bubble already exists between the two nations

New Zealand and Australia are looking to form a travel bubble in 2021 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand could come into effect in the first quarter of 2021.

A one-way bubble already exists – those from New Zealand are able to travel to Australia without quarantining but they do need to self-isolate for 14 days in the other direction.

But New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed at a press conference that the Cabinet had agreed “in principle” to a travel bubble between the two countries, which could come into effect early next year.

Ms Ardern said: “It is our intention to name a date... in the new year, once remaining details are locked down.”

No firm dates have been set yet as there are still several key details to be ironed out, including how quarantine and repatriation flights might work if there is an outbreak in either country and borders need to be closed again.

The Australian Cabinet will also need to sign off on the proposal.

Ms Ardern added that a travel bubble with the Cook Islands will likely come first.

The first New Zealanders arrived in Australia on 16 October this year when the country’s borders opened up to a one-way travel bubble.

It meant that those arriving from New Zealand into certain Australian states didn’t have to self-isolate on arrival and marked the first time Australia allowed international travellers to enter since its borders closed early in the pandemic.

Not all states signed up for the travel bubble to begin with. However, just days after the first flights landed, visitors broke the travel bubble rules by entering states not on the travel bubble list.

The states of Victoria and South Australia were forced to join the travel bubble earlier than expected as a result.

The new two-way arrangement is contingent on the number of Covid-19 cases remaining low in both countries.

Earlier this year, Singapore and Hong Kong announced that they would form a travel bubble but this has since been pushed back after a spike in cases of coronavirus.