Anthony Albanese said that he and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins are looking at introducing seamless trans-Tasman travel by June 2024.
The “seamless experience of going through from country to country” would involve smart gates that facilitate speedy transfer processes between both countries, Albanese said.
“Before you get on a plane in either country it is already recognised that you are OK to come in. And therefore you can just go through smart gates in a seamless way and in a timely way as well,” he today said in Wellington.
“We have many business opportunities between us and the fact that business people will go from country to country regularly – what we want to make sure is that that experience is the best it can possibly be. And the efficiencies can be gained by doing so.”
The Prime Minister said he and Hipkins were putting the move as a matter of urgency “because it is really a commonsense response.”
We always accomplish more with friends by our side.
This year we celebrate 80 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and New Zealand. 🇦🇺🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/Ad9IwwtAj7
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 26, 2023
These reforms will mean travellers likely won’t have to stop and produce passports, travel documents and boarding passes when crossing the pond.
Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TFF) CEO Margy Osmond said the commitment to establishing a joint working group to report back by the end of June next year, was a fantastic first step towards reform.
“This is terrific news for travellers and the tourism sector. We want to make travelling between Australia and New Zealand as smooth as possible and this group will help lead the best path forward to achieve it,” Osmond said.
“TTF and our colleagues at the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum have been working towards and advocating for a seamless, hi-tech border and it is great to see both Prime Ministers responding to the opportunity this represents. Both countries have listened and recognised the importance of these changes.”
This comes after the TTF called on the trans-Tasman twins (our wording, not theirs) to trial this new entry and screening tech earlier this week. Among this tech includes digital arrival cards, rather than paper ones, and the facial recognition technology.
Featured Image: Close up of New Zealand Passport in Black Suitcase Pocket (iStock/Aaftab Sheikh)
