Australia is in travel bubble talks with Singapore to join New Zealand in allowing quarantine-free international travel between the countries.
Travellers from Australia no longer have to isolate after crossing the Tasman for the first time in more than a year with the first flight departing Sydney on Monday morning.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said Singapore and Pacific island nations were likely to be the next countries to sign up to similar arrangements.
“We want to make sure that we get international travel back to some sort of normality,” he told the ABC on Monday.
Mr McCormack, who is the federal Transport Minister, said vaccine rollouts in Australia and other countries would be critical to allowing overseas travel.
“It’s so important that we get Australians to able to travel and people to be able to come here and spend their dollars and have a good time,” he said.
He stressed medical advice would be paramount in creating any new travel bubbles with discussions in preliminary stages.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia and New Zealand had done a remarkable job in protecting communities from coronavirus.
“Today’s milestone is a win-win for Australians and New Zealanders, boosting our economies while keeping our people safe and just in time for Anzac Day,” he said.
“Two-way flights are an important step in our road out.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the bubble was a significant step in both countries reconnecting to the world.
“It is truly exciting to start quarantine-free travel with Australia,” she said.
“Be it returning family, friends or holidaymakers, New Zealand says welcome and enjoy yourself.”
New Zealand is also mulling similar travel arrangements with Pacific Island nations, with the Cook Islands likely to among the first to be included.
Under the trans-Tasman arrangements, all people living in Australia or New Zealand, including foreign nationals, can use quarantine-free travel, as long as they meet the health, immigration and border clearance requirements in each country.
Kiwi arrivals to Australia have been able to travel without quarantine for about six months.
-AAP
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