Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has touched down in New Zealand, set to kick off the leader's meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, their last held since pre-Covid lockdown.
Doubt was cast on the highly anticipated trip earlier this week, after rules around the Victoria bubble pause extended to the Australian PM.
Anyone who had visited Melbourne between May 20 and 25 were ordered to isolate and get a test once they had entered New Zealand. Morrison was in Melbourne on May 20.
On Friday, the rules were tweaked so that those who had been in Melbourne during that time, but were travelling to New Zealand from another state, could undergo a pre-departure test to gain entry without isolating.
Morrison and his delegation had returned negative Covid tests.
Ardern announced Morrison's visit earlier this year.
"Discussions will centre on how Australia and New Zealand will meet the shared challenges we face," Ardern said.
The key focus of the meeting will of course be our Covid-19 recovery as well as how we continue working together on key regional and security issues.
"An in-person leaders’ meeting reflects a significant achievement for both our countries and is highly unusual in the Covid-19 context.
"It’s a significant achievement to be able to host Prime Minister Morrison and Mrs Morrison on our shores."
Ardern and Morrison last face-to-face meeting was in February 2020 in Sydney, where Ardern spoke critically of Australia's deportee policy.
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