Ministers are moments from kicking off the first Cabinet meeting of the year

Top of their agenda is whether Northland's ready to join the rest of New Zealand at the orange alert level setting.

Ahead of Labour's annual caucus retreat tomorrow... this year in New Plymouth... minister's will gather to make the Northland decision.

They will be guided by the recommendation of the Covid ministers... who met yesterday... and by Health Boss Ashley Bloomfield.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will announce Cabinet's decision tomorrow.