South Australia opens border to New Zealand

Less than 24 hours after 12 New Zealand visitors arrived in South Australia, the state has announced that it will open its borders to travelers on the other side of the ditch with immediate effect.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the backflip meant the state would welcome direct flights from New Zealand, joining neighboring Northern Territory and New South Wales in the travel bubble through Tasmania.

“I am pleased to announce that New Zealand people arriving in South Africa will no longer have to self-quarantine,” he said.

“We are also happy to receive direct flights from New Zealand.

“The current agreements are that the 12 people we have in quarantine in South Africa have traveled directly from New Zealand to South Africa, only transiting through Sydney, so on that basis, direct flights from New Zealand would be within those agreements.

Stevens said the state is now comfortable allowing international arrivals to the state, saying he and the state’s prime minister, Steven Marshall, do not regret taking precautionary measures.

“We had not received specific advice regarding the status of COVID-19 in New Zealand (when the travelers arrived),” said Commissioner Stevens.

“The health council has been evaluated by direct communication through our director of public health with the New Zealand authorities and there is a comfort level in terms of the extent of COVID-19 that allows us to make this decision.”

On Monday, five New Zealand travelers arrived in Adelaide after passing through other New Zealand airports.

All the travelers were put into hotel quarantine, Marshall told reporters, but have since been released due to the new travel advisory.

“We do not apologize for taking steps to ensure the safety of the South Australian community,” said Commissioner Stevens.

“These people will have been bothered for a relatively short period of time while we did a proper risk assessment for South Australia.”

New Zealand residents began arriving in Australia on Friday, with three planes full of passengers landing in Sydney from noon.