Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has arrived in Queenstown for a meeting with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, despite visiting COVID-hit Melbourne just 10 days ago.

Morrison has been vaccinated and New Zealand officials are comfortable in trusting he hasn't brought the virus with him.

Despite the cold weather on arrival, it was a much warmer welcome from Queenstown proper. The meeting in itself is quite significant - two world leaders meeting face-to-face as COVID-19 continues to spiral out of control around the world.

Morrison knows all about it with 6.5 million people locked down in Victoria, and with the bubble,  every Aussie outbreak is now a scare here too.

But for Queenstown, his visit is a publicity coup.

"Pretty special for us, for a community that's been suffering, as our community has," says Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult.

Although Morrison and his posse have returned negative COVID tests, the Australian Prime Minister was in Melbourne just 10 days ago. But Boult doesn't have any concerns about that.

"I trust the health officials to ensure that's all sorted, beyond my control obviously, but I'm comfortable with it," he says.

Especially as the flurries of excitement grow with the early snow flurries ahead of the ski season.

READ MORE

• Can the rift be healed? Beneath the tension in the New Zealand-Australia relationship
• New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta is ruffling feathers as her words are closely watched internationally
• ‘Provocative actions’: Chinese military says Australia is inciting a confrontation over Taiwan
• New Zealand won't accept 'master-servant relationship' with China to derive economic benefits

"Those concerns [that Morrison and his delegation will bring COVID-19 with them] are always there, I think, with everybody," says Ross Lawrence, Remarkables Ski Area manager.

"It's great to know he's vaccinated and he's gone through all the regime to be able to come to New Zealand. I think we've gotta put a bit of trust in the system which we'll see more of over time."

With so much on offer for tourists in Queenstown, the high-profile visit isn't exactly the hottest ticket in town.

People in Queenstown Newshub spoke to didn't know who Morrison was, let alone the fact he was in New Zealand.

"I don't know Scott Morrison, sorry," one says.

"No idea who that is sorry," another adds.

For some New Zealanders, his trip is simply not worth the risk, or there's the perceived double standard since Kiwis are trapped in the Victoria lockdown.

"What makes him any more special than our own family members? If we're all about protecting ourselves. It just doesn't feel right," one person says.

There's plenty that isn't right with our trans-Tasman bestie at the moment. Like the last time Ardern and Morrison met, 501 deportees are at the front of mind.

Also on the agenda is Australia's revoking of Suhayra Aden's citizenship - the woman with alleged links to Islamic State.

There are also allegations New Zealand is cosying up to China at the expense of its relationship with Australia - concerns made abundantly clear by 60 Minutes Australia.