New Zealand suspends quarantine free travel with Australia's Victoria state

Quarantine free travel from Australia's Victoria state to New Zealand will be paused from 1:59 am Friday local time, New Zealand's COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Thursday.

The decision follows updated public health advice from New Zealand officials and a growing number of cases and locations of interest, Hipkins said in a statement.

The pause will run for at least four days and be subject to further review on Monday, he said.

"As with previous pauses, we acknowledge the frustration and inconvenience that comes with any interruption to Trans-Tasman travel, but given the ongoing level of uncertainty around transmission in Melbourne, this is the right action to take," the minister said.

The pause means anyone who has been in the state of Victoria after 1:59 am New Zealand time on July 16 cannot travel to New Zealand from any state in Australia until further notice, he said.

Quarantine free travel from Australia's New South Wales state remains paused and managed return flights are still in place meaning travelers will have to go into managed isolation for 14 days after arriving in New Zealand, Hipkins said.