When Australia will FINALLY open up to tourists
Australia’s borders could reportedly be open to tourists in a matter of weeks.
A senior government source told The Daily Telegraph borders could be open within two to three weeks. Cabinet’s National Security Committee is meeting on Monday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters on Sunday he "really does not believe that [a decision to reopen] is far away".
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews told ABC’s Insiders program the border reopening “is a priority for us now”.
“I know that the Prime Minister and I know that I have been working over the last few weeks in particular to make sure that we are ready to open to international tourists as soon as it is safe to do so,” she said.
“So we have been speaking with health professionals, we are getting ready to open as soon as we can. So, we are not at that point now.”
Ms Andrews added the government is relying on the green light from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and while they don’t have all the information yet they “are very close”.
She clarified it is possible some people will be turned away if they can’t prove they have been vaccinated or have a medical exemption.
Pressure mounting for border to reopen
Tourism operators have been urging the government to reopen international borders to tourists.
Australian Chamber-Tourism chief executive John Hart told The Australian Financial Review last week the border has been closed to the international tourism market for more than 670 days.
“As a matter of priority, the federal government must expedite the reopening of our international borders to all fully vaccinated travellers, a move that will provide the tourism industry with confidence to resume their operations,” Mr Hart told AFR.
ABC political reporter Andrew Probyn questioned the delay with Australia's high vaccination rate which reached 95 per cent on Saturday.
"It goes to the question if not soon, when?" he said after Ms Andrews' interview.
Australia reopened its borders to temporary visa holders and skilled migrants on December 14. There were initially plans to reopen it on December 1 but they were delayed due to concerns surrounding the transmission of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Visa holders have also complained of delays in getting approval.
Sophie Matthews, from Leeds in the UK, told Yahoo this week she was forced to wait five months for her visa to be approved, putting her round the world trip in doubt.
New Zealand is taking a far more conservative approach to reopening its borders.
Australians looking to cross the Tasman will only be able to do so from July.
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