Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Cappuccino99]

As they had a BP for a flight SYD-MEL on the same day as arrival, they had no intention of quarantining in Sydney. Don't pax get any information when booking international tickets to Australia that they have to quarantine at port of entry not final destination?

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

As they had a BP for a flight SYD-MEL on the same day as arrival, they had no intention of quarantining in Sydney. Don't pax get any information when booking international tickets to Australia that they have to quarantine at port of entry not final destination?

Perhaps the German/Japan check in counter got confused with Australia’s covid rules???

A normal flight pre COVID, it’s understandable to give all 3 boarding passes and to explain the mandatory immigration/bio security stop at Sydney.

As to booking what was said.....who knows? A German travel agent/online booking???

 

[jakeseven7]

Well today is probably (and hopefully) the last big day for domestic border announcements.

Would be nice if this era of the state premiers being so involved in this area of our lives came to a permanent end

Thousands and thousands of NSW residents are nervously awaiting to see if WA gets out of the right side of the bed and says they are able to travel from tomorrow into WA....

To recap we have today:

- WA confirming opening date (or not) for NSW
- WA confirming opening date (or not) for SA
- QLD confirming opening date (or not) for SA

Be nice to get the trifecta and all families can go ahead and reunite over the summer break.

 

[RooFlyer]

Report in the Oz this morning that NSW police has fully owned the stuff-up, no malfeasance on the part of the traveller, other than to have claimed "an exemption", as in they thought they quarantined in MEL not SYD.

 

[justinbrett]

Well today is probably (and hopefully) the last big day for domestic border announcements.

Would be nice if this era of the state premiers being so involved in this area of our lives came to a permanent end

Thousands and thousands of NSW residents are nervously awaiting to see if WA gets out of the right side of the bed and says they are able to travel from tomorrow into WA....

To recap we have today:

- WA confirming opening date (or not) for NSW
- WA confirming opening date (or not) for SA
- QLD confirming opening date (or not) for SA

Be nice to get the trifecta and all families can go ahead and reunite over the summer break.

I noticed when McGowan was referring to the SYD/MEL incident that it "was certainly not the Gold standard"- I think this made it really clear that the praise to NSW had got to him, and closing his borders to NSW allows him to say to his residents "we are doing better than them".

It's so petty.

 

[Pushka]

Report in the Oz this morning that NSW police has fully owned the stuff-up, no malfeasance on the part of the traveller, other than to have claimed "an exemption", as in they thought they quarantined in MEL not SYD.

Id be really surprised if there was no announcement made on the flight and that just prior to disembarkation that there wasn't some kind of presence annnouncing the process thereafter. Heck, even on landing in domestic Queensland there was a police officer who came onboard telling us what we had to to.

 

[jakeseven7]

I noticed when McGowan was referring to the SYD/MEL incident that it "was certainly not the Gold standard"- I think this made it really clear that the praise to NSW had got to him, and closing his borders to NSW allows him to say to his residents "we are doing better than them".

It's so petty.

There has been a lot of petty minded behaviour all year from everywhere.... that’s been the most disappointing part of this whole pandemic from my point of view.

WA should honestly be really happy they haven’t had the nukes turned on them yet for the dubious decision making they’ve cobbled together, especially in the last few months. Early days probably acceptable.

They are ill-prepared and now racing to get infrastructure in place for the 101 of pandemic
management up and running at the last minute.
They won’t be getting a ‘gold star’ from anyone

But let’s just hope they think practically towards the NSW and SA border decisions they announce today.

I’m thinking of all the families that are just desperate to reunite and literally have flights booked for tomorrow in the case of NSW.

 

[jakeseven7]

Nervous wait for Mark McGowan’s WA - NSW border announcement​

West Australians separated from loved ones in NSW face an anxious wait to learn whether they can still reunite for Christmas, with an announcement to be made in the next few hours.

Premier Mark McGowan has yet to decide whether his state will reopen its borders to NSW as scheduled, saying he would await further health advice over the weekend related to a Sydney quarantine hotel cleaner's infection.

WA will open up to Victoria from Tuesday, dropping the 14-day requirement for travel from that state.

McGowan is also expected to provide an update on the WA - South Australian border closure, with expectations this will be lifted prior to Christmas after the state recorded a week of no new cases.

Why McGowan might NOT open to NSW

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is yet to decide whether his state will reopen to NSW on schedule after a Sydney hotel worker tested positive to COVID-19.

www.perthnow.com.au

 

[jakeseven7]

 

[Pushka]

SA Health is complaining that our testing rates are down in SA. No surprise really. Two of our major drive in Testing locations have been closed this weekend due to dreadful winds since last Friday and pretty much everyone is bunkered down. Or shopping I guess. I am so sick of this westerly wind - we face the direct seafront west, and are waiting for the windows to blow in.

 

[Lynda2475]

Report in the Oz this morning that NSW police has fully owned the stuff-up, no malfeasance on the part of the traveller, other than to have claimed "an exemption", as in they thought they quarantined in MEL not SYD.

The interview i saw late last night was that NSW Police have owned the mistake of allowing the Germans to go to Domestic, taking the passengers word they had a exemption, the police did not however state that there was no lie / intent to deceive from the passengers.

Personally, i dont buy the innocent mistake excuse some are making for the passengers. They were told by NSW health they had to get on the bus and quarantine in Sydney. I think they were willing to risk the cost of the domestic connection to try and avoid quarantine in Sydney, probably couldnt believe their luck fooling a junior officer and then panicked when a security guard approached them in Melbourne (considering this was after they had gone to rent a car, who rents knowing you'll be confined to a room for 14 days).

All cops working SYD international need to be retrained in procedures and exemptions should need to be reviewed by the supervising officer, not some new recruit. Better yet ditch exemptions for domestic transfers there is no reason for any one at all to fly domestically without quarantining at city of arrival its too risky for everyone else.

Secondly why are non citizen, non permanent residents being approved to travel to Australia ahead of those that live here. Whomever approved their travel owes Australia an explanation. In last 2 weeks ive had 2 different uber drivers tell me they have had tourists in their car who admitted they willingly did 2weeks quarantine so they could freely holiday in Australia, which is wrong if seats and hotel places are being taken for tourism ahead of genuine returning residents.

 

[Lynda2475]

There were 2 NSW Health staff in full PPE at the gate in SYD terminal 3 last night, taking temperature of every passenger disembarking the flight from CBR and asking if we'd been in Adelaide or overseas in past 14 days or had symptoms. If temperature was in normal range and you answered no to both questions, you got a green nsw health logo sticker and were free to leave.

When i flew from BNK to SYD back in Sept there were no such arrival checks (however did have temperature taken on arrival in BNK and before departing BNK). No checks on arrival into CBR last friday.

 

[justinbrett]

There were 2 NSW Health staff in full PPE at the gate in SYD terminal 3 last night, taking temperature of every passenger disembarking the flight from CBR and asking if we'd been in Adelaide or overseas in past 14 days or had symptoms. If temperature was in normal range and you answered no to both questions, you got a green nsw health logo sticker and were free to leave.

When i flew from BNK to SYD back in Sept there were no such arrival checks (however did have temperature taken on arrival in BNK and before departing BNK). No checks on arrival into CBR last friday.

I have seen the staff there but only for those who were essential travellers and had been in Victoria (before the borders had opened).

Perhaps it was a random spot check? I can't see this becoming the norm in NSW.

 

[pagingjoan]

No arrival checks at all when I flew MEL-SYD on Friday.
Will be interesting to see if there is any additional security presence around SYD or MEL later today.

 

[moa999]

It sounds to me as though they were diligently trying to quarantine at their final destination. In their eyes this was Melbourne. Everything else along the way was a transit port. I'm still struggling to blame the pax for this one.

Typical Swiss cheese.

Any cursory check by them or travel agent would tell you that quarantine is at first landing point in Australia.
Seemingly no checks by the airline's on whether onward boarding passes should be issued (and possibly by VA that they were transiting).

And then language issues with a new police officer who was presumably confronted by someone waving boarding passes.

Mistakes happen.

 

[Flying mermaid]

The interview i saw late last night was that NSW Police have owned the mistake of allowing the Germans to go to Domestic, taking the passengers word they had a exemption, the police did not however state that there was no lie / intent to deceive from the passengers.

Personally, i dont buy the innocent mistake excuse some are making for the passengers. They were told by NSW health they had to get on the bus and quarantine in Sydney. I think they were willing to risk the cost of the domestic connection to try and avoid quarantine in Sydney, probably couldnt believe their luck fooling a junior officer and then panicked when a security guard approached them in Melbourne (considering this was after they had gone to rent a car, who rents knowing you'll be confined to a room for 14 days).

All cops working SYD international need to be retrained in procedures and exemptions should need to be reviewed by the supervising officer, not some new recruit. Better yet ditch exemptions for domestic transfers there is no reason for any one at all to fly domestically without quarantining at city of arrival its too risky for everyone else.

Secondly why are non citizen, non permanent residents being approved to travel to Australia ahead of those that live here. Whomever approved their travel owes Australia an explanation. In last 2 weeks ive had 2 different uber drivers tell me they have had tourists in their car who admitted they willingly did 2weeks quarantine so they could freely holiday in Australia, which is wrong if seats and hotel places are being taken for tourism ahead of genuine returning residents.

Wasn’t the car rental thing a furphy? I haven’t seen any mention of it in any recent media reports. I thought th scenario was they flew to Melbourne, exited the domestic terminal , looked lost, a guard asked if he could help them and they said they were looking for quarantine.....

Lots of people being allowed in ahead - cricketers, movie makers

 

[Pushka]

Lots of people being allowed in ahead - cricketers, movie makers

Yes. But all go straight into quarantine of type, usually the hotels, and not on what is effectively a form of public transport now most borders are open.

I still struggle that someone had the wherewithal ( delete - dual National now) to book a flight with ANA which had only just opened up a week or so ago, book a domestic ticket, negotiate Japanese airport, be told to get in a bus for hotel quarantine by health but show a police officer their boarding pass that got them out of their directed queue then on to a flight. Claiming confusion.

I think Australia could capitalise on the movie industry now so I’m pleased that is happening.

 

[Lynda2475]

It has now come to light that the 53-year-old was a German-Australian dual citizen accompanied by her German-born 15-year-old son. If she is indeed a dual citizen then she would understand English.

I have several German-Australian dual citizen friends some the same age as the women (all born in germany and moved to australia as adults, then secured citzenshop) and all can speak and understand English very wel. As Pushka says anyone under 55 in Germany would have leant English at school, and anyone who previously lived in Australia liong enough to qualify for citizenship would have a decent understanding, even if their spoekn English was basic.

Suspect feigning poor English to confuse the police officer, i will never buy that the travellers were ocmpletly innocent.

The officer who screwed up should be stood down and sent to retrain and the Woman and her son should be fined for disobeying instructions given to them by NSW immediately after clearing immigrations and customs. The Feds also need to write to all airlines operating flights into Australia to ensuire domeatic boarding passes arent issued for any travel within 14 days (unless the flight is coming fgorm NZ) with huge fines attached if they do this.

 

[Pushka]

The officer who screwed up should be stood down and sent to retrain

He or she needs retraining but not stood down. I suspect he was somewhat intimidated perhaps.

 

[Lynda2475]

According to ABC:

You are automatically exempt from the travel restrictions and can enter Australia (without obtaining an individual exemption) if you are one of the following:

• an Australian citizen
• a permanent resident of Australia
• an immediate family member of an Australian citizen or permanent resident*
• a New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia and their immediate family members
• a person who has been in New Zealand for 14 days or more immediately prior to arrival by air in Australia
• a diplomat accredited to Australia, including their immediate family members (each member of the family unit must hold a valid subclass 995 visa)
• a person transiting Australia for 72 hours or less
• airline crew, maritime crew including marine pilots
• a person recruited under the Government approved Seasonal Worker Program or Pacific Labour Scheme
• a person who holds a Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188) visa.

There are other exemptions that can be applied for as well:

The Commissioner of the Australian Border Force and decision makers may grant you an individual exemption if you are:

• a foreign national travelling at the invitation of the Australian Government or a state or territory government authority for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response
• a foreign national whose entry into Australia would be in the national interest, supported by the Australian Government or a state or territory government authority
• providing critical or specialist medical services, including air ambulance, medical evacuations and delivering critical medical supplies
• a foreign national with critical skills or working in a critical sector in Australia
• a foreign national sponsored by your employer to work in Australia in an occupation on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL)
• military personnel, including those who form part of the Status of Forces Agreement, Commonwealth Armed Forces, Asia Pacific Forces and Status of Armed Forces Agreement
• a person who resides on a vessel that seeks safe port at the closest appointed port for reprovisioning or safety reasons for a limited duration, supported by the relevant State or Territory government where safe haven is sought
• a student completing year 11 and 12, with support from the relevant Australian State or Territory government health authority and education department
• a student in your final years of study of a medical, dental, nursing or allied health profession university degree, where you have evidence of a confirmed placement in an Australian hospital or medical practice which commences within the next two months
• travelling for compassionate and compelling reasons.

I'd like to see the ones in Red text stopped until we dont have issues getting Aussies home, and the one in blue reviewed more tightly i.e. too many sports people and actors (and all their questionable hangers on) being let in too easily, without proven benefot to the economy. We have Aussie actors and i dont agree letting in a bunch of over priviledged professional sports people is in the national interest whent hey have come from true hotspots.