Aussie travel will be 'as easy as domestic', says Key

Trans-Tasman travel is high on the agenda when PM John Key meets with Kevin Rudd on Thursday. Photo / Martin Sykes

Travelling to Australia could be nearly as easy as domestic air travel by Christmas, Prime Minister John Key says.

He will discuss transtasman travel when he meets Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd this week and believed changes could be in place by December.

There will still be a departure tax and border security, Mr Key told TV One's Breakfast show.

"When you see the package you'll see that we've significantly streamlined and made things more efficient and there'll be gains - it'll be a more domestic like experience."

A price cut of more than 20 per cent was "a lot" and unlikely, Mr Key said.

A single market economy and tax law would also be discussed, he said.

The trip "signifies two countries (with) such a long shared history in so many different ways".

Mr Key leaves tomorrow with details of easier transtasman travel to be revealed at a joint press conference due to be held with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Thursday.

Melbourne newspaper The Age has reported that under the new regime flying from Australia to New Zealand will become almost as cheap and easy as domestic travel.

The newspaper said Thursday's announcement would include the potential scrapping of departure taxes, ending duplication of quarantine, customs and security checks and allowing planes to land at domestic terminals.

New Zealand government sources said the announcement would show progress was being made towards streamlining travel and the changes would be introduced in stages.

It is understood that the announcement would indicate a new regime was not ready to be put in place in the immediate future.

The most important change would be recognition by each country of the other's security, immigration and quarantine checks, a system similar to that used between European Union countries.

The tourism industry has been lobbying strongly for much easier trans-Tasman travel, which is likely to boost visitor numbers both ways.

Mr Key, who also holds the tourism portfolio, has been working closely with the sector to find ways to increase the flow.

The timing of the introduction of the new procedures would depend on how long it took to integrate the systems, and although Mr Key wanted it in place by Christmas, it could take longer than that.

He will fly from Wellington to Melbourne tomorrow and spend Wednesday in there, attending functions and making a speech before leaving for Canberra, where there will be a ceremonial welcome at Parliament.

He will hold the joint press conference with Mr Rudd on Thursday morning and deliver a speech at the National Press Club in the afternoon.

On Friday he flies to Sydney for a series of business meetings and the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum dinner.

Mr Key will be at the Bledisloe Cup rugby match on Saturday and fly home on Sunday.

- NZPA