New Zealand refuses quarantine-free trips from Australia as ACT joins travel bubble

New Zealand will not reciprocate quarantine-free trips across the Tasman as the Australian Capital Territory joins Australia’s travel bubble with the country. On Friday, Australia’s deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, announced New South Wales and the Northern Territory would allow Kiwis to bypass the compulsory fortnight of quarantine on arrival from 16 October. On Saturday the ACT joined the scheme. But Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand would stand strong on its pledge to not open up until Australia, or specific states and territories, recorded a month without community transmission of Covid-19.