Prime Minister Scott Morrison is keen for a global understanding on coronavirus vaccine effectiveness and safety.
A range of candidates are in late-stage trials and countries are beginning to give emergency approvals as the global death toll soars.
Mr Morrison said Australia's medicines regulator and international counterparts would have a tougher job without recognition between nations.
"It's important that there is a common understanding globally about vaccines, their efficacy and what will satisfy standards," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
The prime minister raised a global agreement with the European Union at a virtual summit last week.
But he said reopening international borders with "green lane" countries remained some time away.
"As the world becomes vaccinated, and as Australia becomes vaccinated, then those opportunities arise," Mr Morrison said.
Japan, which is the only country the prime minister has visited during the pandemic, is in line to be one of the first nations to join New Zealand.
"But we still some time away from that and I would not like to raise expectations. Health first because that is underpinning our economic success," Mr Morrison said.
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