Finally, the long awaited day of the trans-Tasman bubble has arrived.

Today, we’ve already had Australian flights landing in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, and we’ve sent a number of flights in their direction too.

Obviously this is wonderful news for families who’ve had tearful reunions at the airports today with loved ones they haven’t seen in more than a year, and you can’t help but be thrilled for them. 

But today is actually more significant than that even, because today marks a huge mental step for our country.

We’ve just shifted from defensive mode into recovery mode, and I suspect that, if this goes well, the border-led recovery could gather momentum.

This all comes down to fear. That is at least part of the reason the government has dragged its heels on this trans-Tasman bubble.

But if you’ve ever done anything terrifying like a bungee jump or catching a big wave or learning to drive, you know fear makes taking that first step the worst, but after that, as you become more comfortable, your fear diminishes. 

And so, I think the same is true here.

The more travellers that arrive that without bringing Covid – fingers crossed - the more comfortable those most afraid among us will become and the more tolerant they will become of border-related decisions, whether it be including Singapore or the Cook Islands, allowing in RSE workers or international students.

And that will drive momentum, because if people aren’t as afraid, it gives the government the leeway to take more risks, and it puts pressure on the government to take more risks.

And already, I think this has changed expectations. That announcement today of allowing family reunification visas for healthcare workers doesn’t feel like the surprise it might’ve three months ago.

Because already, we will be adjusting our mind-sets to expect not a default no but perhaps a default yes.

it think this was the hard battle to win, getting the government to say yes to the trans-Tasman bubble, but here on in, my hope is that every other battle will be easier and won’t take as long.

That’s my hope anyway.