New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced an Australia wide pause on the trans-Tasman travel bubble, amid ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks on the east coast.

Travel between the two countries will be suspended for at least eight weeks.

“From 11.59pm tonight Australians will no longer be able to enter New Zealand quarantine-free, this will be in place for the next eight weeks,” Ms Ardern said.

More than 200,000 people have taken advantage of the travel bubble since it began several months ago.

“We have acted with an abundance of caution at every turn, and we will continue to do so.

“There is greater risk now from the Delta variant than there was when we opened the quarantine free travel bubble with Australia.”