Australia, New Zealand start work on plan for travel between them

Australia and New Zealand have agreed to begin work on allowing travel between both countries and this arrangement could be eventually extend to other Pacific island nations, the countries said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Such an arrangement would be put in place once it is safe to do so and necessary health, transport and other protocols had been developed and met, the statement said without giving a time frame for the move.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a separate news briefing in Canberra earlier in the day that the travel zone between both countries is still some time away.