Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern "expressed disappointment" to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison over his decision to temporarily reinstate quarantine rules for Kiwi travellers.
Morrison swiftly closed the one-way travel bubble for at least 72 hours after a woman on Sunday became New Zealand’s first community case in a little more than two months.
Travellers from New Zealand had been able to enter Australia without quarantining.
Ardern told media she spoke to Morrison after his decision.
"I conveyed the confidence we have in our systems," she said. "I certainly expressed disappointment that decision had been made."
Asked if he overreacted, Ardern said she told Morrison the situation in New Zealand was "well under control".
She was still pursuing the opening of a trans-Tasman bubble in the first quarter of this year.
Ardern today announced New Zealand could see approval for the first Covid-19 vaccine from February 3 , but also said that New Zealand should expect borders to be impacted for much of 2021.
NZ’s one case in the community prompted Australia to effectively ban NZ travellers for 72 hours.
"For travel to restart, we need one of two things.
"We either need the confidence being vaccinated means you don't pass Covid-19 onto others and we don't know that yet, or we need enough of our population to be vaccinated and protected that people can safely re-enter New Zealand."
Ardern said both possibilities would take time.
"In the meantime we'll continue to pursue travel bubbles with Australia and the Pacific.
"The rest of the world simply poses too great a risk to our health and economy."
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