PM backs NSW going it alone on travel bubble with New Zealand

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has enthusiastically backed the prospect of NSW resuming travel with New Zealand ahead of other states such as Queensland that have kept their borders closed over coronavirus fears.

While Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is set to announce a further easing of coronavirus restrictions on Sunday, she has told industry leaders opening the borders in July will not be on the agenda.

Ms Palaszczuk has infuriated tourism operators who want the borders opened on July 10 as originally planned, so they can make the most of the winter holiday season.

But Ms Palaszczuk said she will not open borders while there are still hundreds of active COVID-19 cases in NSW and Victoria.

"Not yet. NSW and Victoria need to get cases down. We only have six active cases," she replied when asked by AFR Weekend.

After the national cabinet meeting on Friday, Mr Morrison showed his frustration at border closures in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, which are hurting economic recovery.

When asked whether he would be supportive of one state, such as NSW, opening its borders to an Australia-New Zealand travel bubble, he replied: "Yes."

"And the states are aware of that – if we're in a position to introduce a travel-safe zone between Australia and New Zealand at an early stage and we're all aware of the epidemiology in New Zealand, it's on the same basis as here in Australia, [we will]."

Mr Morrison said the Australia-New Zealand travel bubble was crucial to jobs, especially in the struggling aviation sector.

He conceded it was "still a way off", but he would like to see it happen sooner rather than later.

CMO calls for states to reconsider

Government officials in Australia and New Zealand had started looking at a blueprint about the travel bubble between the two countries, but it may not be practical until later this year.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young, who is advising Ms Palaszczuk, said the state's borders should remain shut while there are hundreds of cases of community transmission in southern states.

But Australia's total active cases are now below 500 and falling.

Federal Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said the federal health committee had not recommended border closures and he hoped states would eventually reconsider their position.

"We understand states have taken decisions based on the differential case numbers in adjacent states," he said.

"I understand Queensland is regularly reviewing their position as with the other states and as the case numbers fall in NSW and Victoria, I am hopeful they will see fit to to reconsider that position."

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said all states should be working on easing social restrictions, including lifting border controls, to get people back to a normal life

"If we continue to see the easing of internal restrictions, while still successfully suppressing COVID-19, then all states should open up their borders," he said.

"I want to see state border restrictions lifted as soon as it is safe to do so, and hope this can be sooner than the September time frame the Queensland Premier has referenced in recent weeks."

Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said the state's borders should be opened by July given its successful containment of COVID-19.

"I'm confident the Chief Medical Officer and the Premier have all the reasons to move ahead with the easing of restrictions road map," he said.

"A timely return to business is our top priority."

Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones this week said she was well aware of the economic pain being inflicted on the state's tourism industry from coronavirus and border closures, which she estimated at $7 billion to $9 billion so far and the loss of 70,000 jobs.