Travel bubble: NZ PM says Australia first then Pacific Islands

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand is focusing on Australia and a trans-Tasman travel bubble ahead of the Pacific Islands.

She says they are focusing on Australia first.

Ardern says there are a "huge number" of reasons for this - "not least Tourism not going one way for New Zealand, but also New Zealand's closer economic relationship with Australia.

She says they put that in a special category.

Ardern told NewsTalk ZB that New Zealand is working on a framework with Australia that would then apply to the Pacific Islands as well.

New Zealand has now joined an elite list of nine countries - including Fiji and Papua New Guinea which have no active COVID-19 cases.

Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had said they are having continuous discussions with New Zealand and Australia for Fiji to be part of the travel bubble.

Sayed-Khaiyum has met with the New Zealand High Commissioner and discussed what sort of protocols can be developed to allow Fiji to be part of it.

He also said Australia and New Zealand need to create their bubble first, and once this is done, then they will be looking at Fiji.

Sayed-Khaiyum said a very important element in this is the contact tracing app which will be launched by the Prime Minister.

He says they are also having talks with Singapore asking them for Fiji to be part of the Green Lane.

Labeled “Green Lane” arrangements, Singapore hopes to restart essential travel with states that are controlling the COVID-19 situation well.

Countries establish green-lane arrangements when they believe they can resume essential travel – for business and official purposes – with one another.