Jacinda Ardern has been slammed for locking out overseas Kiwis and Australians until well into next year, with families forced to face another Christmas apart.
From January 17, fully vaccinated New Zealanders in Australia will be able to return home if they self-isolate for a week. New Zealanders in other countries will be able to follow suit from February 14.
Non-residents aren't allowed to enter until April 30, with a seven day home quarantine still required - a move slammed as disastrous by the Australian Federation of Travel Agents.
'The approach taken by New Zealand to Covid-19 has been one of the most aggressive elimination strategies which we all know is not sustainable,' Dean Long told The Australian.
'I think everybody in Australia and New Zealand saw two countries that were closely aligned in terms of their recovery from Covid-19. That will be extremely challenging now with New Zealand's re-opening so far down the track.'
New Zealand will continue to block out Australians and overseas Kiwis into 2022 after Jacinda Ardern continued the country's hard borders (pictured, the trans-Tasman bubble in operation back in April - before it was shut down yet again)
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured) said she resisted a push to open the border to overseas-based Kiwis this year in order to enable New Zealanders to 'have the Christmas they deserve'
New Zealand's Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins said vaccination rates meant 'the time is right to carefully start the reopening of our borders' in a 'progressive and safe way'.
'It's very encouraging that as a country we are now in a position to move towards greater normality,' he said.
Ms Ardern said she resisted a push to open the border to overseas-based Kiwis this year in order to enable New Zealanders to 'have the Christmas they deserve'.
'We need to make sure we move cautiously,' she said.
Mr Hipkins said the first two dates were 'locked in' and people should make plans accordingly.
There remains some prospect the April 30 date may change based on public health advice, while Mr Hipkins also signalled a 'bespoke' arrangement could be created to help international students.
The changes also spell the end of the trans-Tasman bubble, a three-month quarantine-free travel exemption between COVID-free regions of Australia and New Zealand between April and July this year.
'The bubble doesn't exist any more,' Mr Hipkins said.
'The bubble was a construct that was established when there was no COVID-19 in New Zealand or Australia. And that is no longer the case on
