TransTasman

TransTasman is a term used to describe activities, relations, or travel across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. The name derives from the Tasman Sea, which lies between the two countries, and from the prefix trans- meaning across. The Tasman Sea itself is named for the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.

The term is widely used in a geographical and economic context to denote cross-border links. It applies to aviation and shipping routes, tourism, and the broader bilateral relationship between Australia and New Zealand. In economics, it is often linked to the long-standing bilateral relationship formalized by the Closer Economic Relationship (CER) agreement, signed in 1983, which aims to reduce barriers to trade and deepen integration between the two economies.

In sports and culture, TransTasman describes competitions and rivalries between Australian and New Zealand teams and athletes. The phrase appears in coverage of cross-border series in various sports, as well as in branding for events and initiatives that involve both countries.

Usage and variants of the term vary. It is sometimes hyphenated as Trans-Tasman or written as Trans Tasman, or TransTasman in branding. The core meaning remains the same: relations or activities spanning the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.

See also: Tasman Sea; Abel Tasman; Closer Economic Relationship; Australia–New Zealand relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the term was also used to describe cross-Tasman travel arrangements intended to facilitate movement between the two nations.