Bold idea for three-region 'travel bubble' inside Australia sparks debate
While parts of Australia are slowly easing restrictions at their own pace, it has been suggested three regions could form their own travel bubble and isolate the remaining states and territory.
The Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia are ahead of the eastern states with regards to relaxing restrictions, as all three regions have very few active cases.
The Northern Territory to date has had a total of 30 confirmed cases, with just two people yet to recover. Western Australia has seven active cases, and there is just one person yet to recover in South Australia.
Come Friday, the Northern Territory is allowing for cafes, bars and restaurants to reopen, providing they serve food, however Ian Kew, chair of the Darwin Major Business Group wants to see border restrictions eased as well.
The Territory’s Chief Minister has said border restrictions would be the last to go but Mr Kew believes borders could be opened to the other two states with protocols “sooner rather than later”.
“Rather than being the last we could be one of the first jurisdictions to open up,” Mr Kew told NT News.
“But that’s an example of the thinking that is going on inside of the NT Government without consulting business and industry that do have solutions to some of those things … and that is concerning.”
The idea of a ‘travel bubble’ with the three regions had earlier sparked debate on the ABC Darwin Facebook page, which did not sit well with the other major cities.
After the idea was floated a tongue-in-cheek social media spat ensued between the city-based ABC social media groups.
ABC Hobart has reportedly cut ABC Darwin from their Christmas card list, and ABC Brisbane has reportedly ended its friendship with the Darwin office.
Like the Northern Territory, Western Australia implemented internal borders within the state, and while most of those regional restrictions will be lifted in some areas, they will still be applicable to protect vulnerable communities.
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WA will begin to unwind regional travel restrictions from Monday as part of a suite of changes aimed at getting people back to work.
But people in the Kimberley region will remain cut off from the rest of the state while the Mid West, Gascoyne and Pilbara will form one vast isolated hub, which the government says is designed to protect vulnerable communities.
The Northern Territory will maintain its internal borders which restrict access to areas that include indigenous communities until at least June 18.
Previously Western Australia’s Premier Mark McGowan said the state would not bow to pressure to drop its hard border closure.
“I know there's people in the east who say we should ... but frankly, we're not listening to them,” Mr McGowan told reporters last week.
“I'd need to be confident that we have very low or virtually zero rates of infection in the eastern states before we bring it down.”
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