Covid-19: New Zealand to lift quarantine-free travel pause with Australia

Wellington - Officials have assessed that the spread of Covid cases appears to have been contained in Western Australia and Northern Territory.

New Zealand's quarantine-free travel (QFT) pause with the states of Western Australia and Northern Territory will be lifted at 11:59 pm on Friday, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday.

The pause with South Australia, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Tasmania and Victoria was lifted on Monday, which had been announced last week, reports Xinhua news agency.

Managed return flights from New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland for people, ordinarily residents in New Zealand, will start from 11:59 pm Friday, Hipkins said, adding that the QFT pause between New Zealand and Queensland will be reviewed on Wednesday.

"Officials have assessed that the spread of Covid-19 cases appears to have been contained in Western Australia and Northern Territory, that there is robust surveillance, testing and contact tracing to detect and manage cases, and adequate border controls are in place to prevent the spread of new cases," Hipkins told a press conference.

Based on this advice, passengers can resume travel between New Zealand and Western Australia and Northern Territory from Saturday, subject to strict conditions that will minimise the risk of Covid-19 spreading to New Zealand, he said.

Conditions include a negative pre-departure test result from a test taken within three days before departure.

This is already a requirement for all travel from Australia to New Zealand.