Australians Taking Advantage of the Loophole in Trans-Tasman Travel Bubble May Face Prison

Passengers wait at the check-in counters for New Zealand flights at Sydney International Airport on April 19, 2021, as Australia and New Zealand opened a trans-Tasman quarantine-free travel bubble. Saeed Khan/Getty Images

Australians who choose to travel onwards from New Zealand to other destinations through a loophole in the newly-opened trans-Tasman travel bubble could face prison under new biosecurity legislation.

On Monday, a change to the Biosecurity legislation warns that Australians may face a “civil penalty” if they travel onwards from New Zealand to other countries.