3. Question No. 3—COVID-19 ResponseCHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for COVID-19 ResponseQuestion No. 3—COVID-19 Response3. CHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for COVID-19 Response: Did a Cabinet committee consider a paper relating to a trans-Tasman safe travel zone this morning; if so was there a discussion about what the earliest date could be for the opening of a safe travel zone if New Zealand acted unilaterally to do so?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister for COVID-19 Response): The member will be aware that the Cabinet Manual states that discussions at Cabinet committees are confidential and I don't intend to release details of those discussions particularly not before Cabinet has considered them. But what I can say is that I have been keeping my Cabinet colleagues regularly informed of discussions around safe travel zones including with Australia. I'm also happy to repeat for the member's benefit what I said last week and yesterday: that we have moved on from discussing a joint decision-making framework with Australia to discussing a more unilateral decision-making framework.Chris Bishop: Point of order Mr Speaker. That dealt with the second part of the question on notice; it did not deal with the first clause of the question around whether or not this—SPEAKER: And the member did address the first part and he made it very clear that he's not prepared to discuss what was on Cabinet committee agendas this morning. That's a question of the Minister's—[Interruption] Who said that?Hon Gerry Brownlee: Me.SPEAKER: All right. The member's lucky it's St Patrick's Day. Right as I was saying it is a matter of judgment for the Government whether they release and when they release the agenda for Cabinet committee and in fact for Cabinet meetings.Chris Bishop: Point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: I just want to make sure that the member's not going to argue with me because if he's going to argue with my ruling we're going to run into a Speaker's ruling that I made about three weeks ago now as to whether doing that is disorderly or not.Chris Bishop: Was a date discussed this morning at Cabinet committee around the opening of a trans-Tasman safe travel zone?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As I indicated in my first answer discussions at Cabinet committee are confidential.Chris Bishop: Why is the Government unwilling to even acknowledge that the issue of a safe travel zone was talked about by a Cabinet committee this morning?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Because I as a Minister am following the guidance provided in the Cabinet Manual.Chris Bishop: Have officials provided him with advice around a date that a trans-Tasman safe travel zone could open if New Zealand acted unilaterally in line with what he said yesterday?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I've been receiving regular advice on the practicalities of opening up a trans-Tasman safe travel zone including some of the constraints in terms of timing that may exist around whenever Cabinet may make such a decision.Chris Bishop: Have officials provided him with a date as to when the earliest possible opening could be for a trans-Tasman safe travel zone with New Zealand acting unilaterally to do so? Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: It's a little more complex than that as I have indicated previously to the member and I think in public interviews. Airlines have indicated that they would need around three weeks to prepare for the opening up of something with Australia. The Auckland international airport have indicated they'd need somewhere around about 10 days to prepare for the implementation of a safe travel zone. There are still a couple of other issues that we need to resolve before Cabinet will be in a position to make a final decision.