We've got ourselves a new bubble - and the big news is you'll need a passport to get there.

A two-way travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand will be operating by the end of March 2021.

Speaking at her final post-Cabinet press conference of the year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the New Zealand Cabinet had agreed "in principle" to establish quarantine-free travel between the two countries.

"It is our intention to name a date... in the new year, once remaining details are locked down," Ms Ardern said.

New Zealanders have been able to cross the Tasman and avoid quarantine since mid-October when Australia created a "safe travel zone". But this was only a one way affair as passengers returning to New Zealand from Australia still had to isolate for 18 days on their return.

Australia won silver in the race to claim the Kiwis' travel hearts. A quarantine-free travel bubble between NZ and the Cook Islands is expected to be up and running first.

The timeline for the Australia-NZ arrangement is, of course, contingent on case numbers in both countries remaining low.

"It's good for the economy, good for our airlines and it's good for both countries. (New Zealand has) done well through the pandemic and Australia has done well ... now both countries can bear the positive outcomes of that." Australia's Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

"It's the first step towards restoring international normality."

Well, maybe so, but let's take it a step at a time eh? There are 107 days until March 31 and if 2020 has taught us anything it's to make the most of every day.

And that philosophy was underlined further today with the death of spy turned novellist John le Carré.

The 89-year-old died in Cornwall, southwest England on Saturday after a short illness not related to COVID-19.

Le Carré began working for the secret services while studying German in Switzerland at the end of the 1940s. After a teaching stint at Eton he joined the British Foreign Service, recruiting, running and looking after spies behind the Iron Curtain before beginning what turned out to be an illustrious publishing career in 1961.

Many of his creations became three-dimensional and transferred effortlessly to the screen, continuing the circular debate of "book or movie first". Most recently the 2012 remake of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy earned a clutch of nominations. Expect to see them pushed hard on streaming services sometime soon.

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