Covid 19 coronavirus: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hints at Tasmania’s travel bubble measures

By RNZ

At today’s press conference, the Australian Prime Minister has hinted at trans-Tasmanian flights between Covid-free areas of Australia and New Zealand.

Speaking at a press conference today, Scott Morrison said that nearly 4,000 Australians were returning home each week, but many more were still trying.

“More support has been provided to help those Australians, particularly in difficult situations abroad … as part of that approach, I spoke to Prime Minister Ardern this morning and told him that Australia will seek to apply the same hotspot approach in New Zealand.

“That means when we are in a position to do so, and when the acting medical director has reached an agreement with New Zealand, then we can get New Zealanders to come to Australia.”

“That doesn’t mean Australians can go to New Zealand, it’s Prime Minister Ardern’s business, but if there is no Covid in Christchurch and there is no Covid in Queensland, then there is no reason that either of them can come to Sydney.

“That will, I think, be a major boost to our tourism economy, whether in New South Wales or elsewhere.”

He spoke about allowing visiting New Zealanders to enter without having to isolate themselves or quarantine themselves.

“The idea that New Zealanders would not have to go into quarantine because they come from Covid-free areas would also release quarantine places. Likewise, if states don’t require Australians to come from areas where there are no Covid cases, such as ACT, And they don’t have to go into hotel quarantine in some places, well, that obviously also frees up more capacity. “

He said seven of the eight states and territories had agreed to the “hotspot” plan, which would reduce the need for strict borders between states.

“The idea of ​​ultimately going beyond a situation where you have strict borders, but you move to a situation where you can have a viable hotspot concept, so that’s something that we’re going to do our best. of us to define and do work.

“The states, of course, will ultimately reserve the decisions they make, but all who have committed to this path have agreed that we must work hard to achieve it in the best possible way.”

South Australia had joined the position of the prime ministers of New South Wales and Victoria and they were “very interested in tearing down their border as soon as it is safe to do so,” he said. Tasmania was also aiming to tear down its border by December.

Western Australia resisted an agreement.

“Western Australia has set some very specific circumstances in their state as to why they will not join that aspiration at this time. That said, they wish us well and will be involved in that process, where they have things they believe they can offer,” Morrison said.

“Western Australia has a very different border and a very different economy than most of the other states and territories where these decisions have been made.

“There are no big border cities. In fact, as far as I know, there are practically none along the Western Australian border. Their economies are on a much larger scale than the economies of South Australia and Tasmania.

“So, they will watch closely, they will watch, and the thing about our new way of working in the National Cabinet is that the door always stays open. And they can always join us at a later time.”

He said other states could move forward without Western Australia.

“I think there are many things they can offer in that process. Therefore, they are not completely separate for that process. They will continue to work with us. But, for them, they have established their path and we respect it.

“Not everyone has to get on the bus for the bus to leave the station. But it is important that the bus leaves the station.”

There was also a plan to increase international arrivals to Australia, which largely came from New South Wales.

“We note that New South Wales has been doing all the heavy lifting on this, and they really are at capacity for the moment.

And so, as I spoke to Cabinet over the course of this week, the Minister of Transport will work with others to see if we can get a flight that is currently looking to come to Sydney, to see if we are in a position to try to get them to go to other ports, be it Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, the ACT or anywhere else, including Tasmania. “

“These are commercial flights, they are not Australian government-run flights … I’d be surprised if they had more than a massive loss on every flight.

“For them to go to places that allow us to bring more Australians into the country, I think it would be very helpful.”