The opportunity to travel to New Zealand appears to have lifted the mood of Australians, being a step towards some sort of normality after tough restrictions on everyday life imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index has jumped 5.9 per cent, reaching its highest level since September 2019 and sprinting past its long-run average.
"The receding of the Brisbane lockdown and announcement of the trans-Tasman travel bubble has seen confidence jump sharply," ANZ head of Australian economics David Plank said.
"The jump has occurred despite the delay in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout."
Quarantine-free two-way travel with NZ was confirmed last week by the prime ministers of both countries.
The confidence survey, conducted at the weekend, would have captured last week's decision by the nation's health authorities to recommend the AstraZeneca vaccine not be given to people aged under 50.
This followed cases abroad of blood-clotting among younger people after having the vaccine. Only one such case has so far been recorded in Australia.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the government will no longer set targets for the remainder of the vaccine rollout, a timetable that was already in tatters.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry acting CEO Jenny Lambert still wants to see a rollout plan to give more certainty and transparency.
"Obviously the government was relying more heavily on the AstraZeneca vaccine, there is obviously a lot of changes they have had to deal with," she said.
"But the important thing is to engage with key stakeholders, such as business, and to be transparent with the community and start talking about how we can see a path to reopening some of these restrictions."
So far there has been around 1.2 million vaccinations, well short of the original plan to have four million completed by the end of March.
"I think everyone will look at it and say that it is disappointing to see," Ms Lambert said.
The influential monthly National Australia Bank business survey is also released later on Tuesday.
"The vaccine hold-up is no doubt an economic setback. It remains to be seen how material a setback," St George economist Matthew Bunny said.
"Delays in the rollout increase the risk of disruptive snap lockdowns and state border closures. It will also postpone the return of international tourists and students."
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will also release its weekly payrolls jobs report, a prelude to the key monthly labour force figures for March on Thursday.
