The Government should not consider a trans-Tasman bubble ‘job done’ when it comes to reconnecting New Zealand to the world, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says.

“Today’s announcement was too long in coming for the families who have been kept apart for more than a year and the tourism businesses that have struggled and sacrificed to hang on to this point. But at least we finally have some action.

“Australia was ready for quarantine-free travel last year, as were our airports. The delay in getting this bubble up and running has been on the New Zealand Government.

“I want to thank the more than 45,000 people who signed National’s petition and supported our call to get the trans-Tasman bubble open. It’s clear the Government needed to be jolted into action on this.

“This isn’t a case of job done, however. This should be the first step in the Government laying out its roadmap for how it plans to safely reconnect New Zealand to the world.

“National believes the Government should be allow quarantine-free travel from Samoa, Tonga and Fiji into New Zealand, alongside our realm countries.

“This would have a similar benefit of reconnecting families as well as the added economic benefit of rescuing New Zealand’s horticulture industry by increasing the size of our Recognised Seasonal Workers (RSE) scheme.

“It’s time the Government laid out its roadmap for reconnecting our economy and people to the world.”

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