New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern puts quarantine-free travel with Australia on hold

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will announce within two weeks a date for quarantine-free travel with Australia, she said on Monday, despite mounting pressure from business to open borders with neighbouring countries.

The government hopes to announce a start date on April 6, Ardern told a news conference, adding that while opening borders with neighbours was a priority, several concerns needed to be resolved first.

“We know that many New Zealanders are nervous…they want us to proceed in the same vein as our overall Covid response, that’s with caution.”