National promises fully digital Tasman travel trial by 2028 World Cup
National says if it is re-elected at the 2026 general election, it will work with Australia on a fully digital trans-Tasman travel trial in time for the next men's T20 World Cup. RNZ
The trial would cover Australian and New Zealand citizens. Passengers would load their details before departure. They would then use smartphones, a secure digital ID and a face or fingerprint scan instead of a paper passport at the gates. Biosecurity declarations would stay. Bags could still be inspected.
Tourism spokesperson Louise Upston said the party intends to have the system ready to trial for the 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which Australia and New Zealand will jointly host.
The pledge builds on joint work already in motion. In 2023, then Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to simpler trans-Tasman travel and set up an expert taskforce. In 2024, Albanese and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon endorsed the taskforce's approach. Under that plan, Australia would trial digital incoming passenger cards and New Zealand would upgrade its eGates, the automated airport gates that check passports. New Zealand has used digital arrival cards since 2023. SmartGates for trans-Tasman passengers began in 2009.
The broader context here is that faster Tasman travel has been tried in different forms before. Each version has kept the same rule. Quicker clearance at the border cannot weaken biosecurity or border assurance. National says its plan keeps that rule.
In my view, the detail to watch is how the two systems join up. A trial described as fully digital still needs both countries to accept the same pre-departure data, the same digital ID and the same biometric check, much like two phones needing the same charger to share power. It needs agreement on who can use it, how data is stored and shared, and what happens if the technology fails at the gate. None of that can be settled in Wellington alone.
Looking at what this means for the campaign, the tournament deadline matters. A World Cup hosted on both sides of the Tasman will put pressure on airports, airlines and border staff. It gives a set group of travellers and a clear timetable. It also concentrates the political risk. A promise tied to an event the public can see either works on the day or it does not.
For Press Gallery readers, the positioning is also worth weighing. As a promise from the current government, it invites scrutiny of delivery rather than principle. The question is less whether smoother Tasman travel is wanted and more how ministers would sequence talks with Canberra, systems work and testing before 2028.
