Australian states split over opening borders for domestic tourism

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Australian states split over opening borders for domestic tourism

By Colin Packham

 

FILE PHOTO: People stroll through a park in front of the Sydney Opera House amidst the easing of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Sydney, Australia, May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian state and territory leaders bickered on Thursday over whether to reopen internal borders, a major step to rejuvenating the country's A$80 billion ($50 billion) domestic tourism industry, as part of measures to ease coronavirus restrictions.

 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he wants the bulk of all social distancing restrictions removed by July under a three-step plan, as the country continues to report low daily numbers of new COVID-19 infections.

 

But the implementation of the federal plan is down to the leaders of individual state and territories, who come from opposing political parties and disagree on how safe it is to allow unrestricted movement throughout the country.

 

New South Wales state, the country's most populous, has called for all borders to be opened as a critical step to giving the ailing economy a much needed boost.

 

The Reserve Bank of Australia earlier this week said it believes the country is facing an "unprecedented" economic contraction due to the pandemic, though massive fiscal and monetary stimulus would help cushion the blow. [L4N2D10LK]

 

"For Australia to really move forward as a nation during this very difficult economic time as well as difficult health time, we do need our borders down," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television.

 

Around 120 million domestic overnight tourists spent a record A$80.7 billion last year, according to official government data. That accounted for almost half of all tourism spending, including by international visitors, of A$152.4 billion.

 

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said on Wednesday there was no medical reason to keep borders closed, but many smaller states, which have reported very low numbers of infections and few to no deaths, remain reluctant.

 

"It's odd, New South Wales is saying don't catch public transport in Sydney ... yet they're saying 'why can't New South Wales people fly to Western Australia," said Western Australia state Premier Mark McGowan.

 

Queensland state Chief Medical Officer Jeannette Young supported calls to keep borders closed, saying "one case can cause an enormous setback to our plan to open up our communities."

 

Australia has reported just over 7,000 COVID-19 infections, including 100 deaths, well below figures reported by other developed countries.

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham; editing by Jane Wardell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-21

 

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[Yinn]

Same in Thailand. 

Should be up to local governor.

[Bluetongue]

Bizarre. Australia, one country, 6 states, 2 territories, 9 chief medical officers - the experts in the case of Covid. So some of the experts, the national ones and 3 or 4 of the others said there was no reason for border restrictions in the first place. Others did not even though they are all on the National Health Advisory Committee.

 

So on social media these days if you express a counter view to an expert you are quickly damned. In this case the Premiers have 2 conflicting sets of expert advice coming from the one committee. So instead of a decision based on expert advice you have one based on a gut feeling from a Premier. May as well roll a dice if you ask me. There is plenty of evidence in Queensland that the decision is based on polling which suggests it is what the public want. What the public want has been influenced by the incredible fear engendered in the community by the initial blitz to flatten the curve and overwhelm the health service. That was fine at the time maybe (yet to be established) but the Premiers should now be working to reduce that fear, alas I note the Qld Premier quoted 30000 deaths likely if she opened the state borders. There have been 5 0r 6 so far in Queensland.

[Chassa]

My son and his wife just moved from Queensland to Northern Territory. Borders are closed?

[DoctorG]

7 minutes ago, Chassa said:

My son and his wife just moved from Queensland to Northern Territory. Borders are closed?

Border restrictions apply for entry into the Northern Territory. 14 day self-quarantine period applies for all visitors. Exemptions apply for essential services.

 

NT gov COVID site.

[Chassa]

3 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Border restrictions apply for entry into the Northern Territory. 14 day self-quarantine period applies for all visitors. Exemptions apply for essential services.

 

NT gov COVID site.

Therefore they are not closed!

[natway09]

Getting more like America everyday !!

It is time that Federal Law was applied equally in every state in OZ

[digger70]

6 hours ago, Chassa said:

My son and his wife just moved from Queensland to Northern Territory. Borders are closed?

Only on the news. ????

[CygnusX1]

Queensland wants to delay opening its border with NSW until at least September. What will have changed by then? The China virus can’t be completely eradicated from NSW, hopefully just kept at its current extremely low rate of new infections, so the border will be closed for years.