Australian state border restrictions

[SydneySwan]

That's a harder one as it sounds as though it relies on everyone being able to travel and move about. Unless some radical mindset changes occur, it's hard to see free travel across Australia any time soon, regardless of vaccination rates. Even if they threw open the borders tomorrow, there'll be a small but significant portion of the population who won't be comfortable travelling for a while.
The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence but the extension of this seems to be that the Covid situation is always worse somewhere else. If it's not another State, it's another suburb. If you went to that suburb, it'd be the next street.

The problem with interstate travel is not fear of Covid but fear of state government's reaction to an outbreak. I know plenty of people here in Sydney who are hopeful of spending Christmas on the NSW north or south coast. However almost no-one is planning to visit Queensland, Tassie, or even Victoria.

There is a general feeling that once overseas travel restarts almost anywhere you can go won't come with the potential risk factors of visiting other Australian states. It is very sad. I wouldn't want to be working in tourism in most of Australia for the foreseeable future. Only NSW will pick up quickly with its own population supporting it for fear of going anywhere else.

 

[Lynda2475]

Only NSW will pick up quickly with its own population supporting it for fear of going anywhere else.

Deja vu from last summer, where NSW coastal destinations like Byron achieved record bookings and prices.

 

[nutwood]

There is a general feeling that once overseas travel restarts almost anywhere you can go won't come with the potential risk factors of visiting other Australian states.

Mind you, they've demonstrated their total indifference to shutting people out of their home State. What if a brand new scary variant pops up somewhere in the world? Personally, I'd rather be camped at a State border than an airport somewhere.

 

[antycbr]

There is a general feeling that once overseas travel restarts almost anywhere you can go won't come with the potential risk factors of visiting other Australian states. It is very sad. I wouldn't want to be working in tourism in most of Australia for the foreseeable future. Only NSW will pick up quickly with its own population supporting it for fear of going anywhere else.

Good thing we have so much in NSW to see and do /s

I worry for the future of our CBD hotels and as a result the businesses that surround them such as restaurants and cafes. In Sydney we may see some more closures and conversions to apartments which has been a trend in places like Kings Cross.

 

[exceladdict]

The problem with interstate travel is not fear of Covid but fear of state government's reaction to an outbreak.

Absolutely. It will be a big day when vaccinated residents of a state can at least be reassured they will always be able to return.

 

[jb747]

Absolutely. It will be a big day when vaccinated residents of a state can at least be reassured they will always be able to return.

Would be nice, but sadly they’d include a ‘but’ within the statement.

Why on earth can’t double vaxxed cross the Vic/NSW border within the ‘bubble’ for other than the most restrictive reasons? That would be a start, and might indicate that they do intend opening up. Right now, I’m starting to doubt they have any intention of ever doing so.

As best I can tell, most of the lockdowns have had nothing to do with stopping/slowing the virus. They’ve been about making it easy for the police, and perhaps contact tracers. Destroying the economy to make life easy for the police sounds very East German. I’ve lost count of the number of lockdowns now, but every time we open up, there are more businesses that remain closed. Permanently. The local main streets are deserts of empty shops.

 

[hydrabyss]

The problem with interstate travel is not fear of Covid but fear of state government's reaction to an outbreak. I know plenty of people here in Sydney who are hopeful of spending Christmas on the NSW north or south coast. However almost no-one is planning to visit Queensland, Tassie, or even Victoria.

There is a general feeling that once overseas travel restarts almost anywhere you can go won't come with the potential risk factors of visiting other Australian states. It is very sad. I wouldn't want to be working in tourism in most of Australia for the foreseeable future. Only NSW will pick up quickly with its own population supporting it for fear of going anywhere else.

I am in NSW and maybe blindly am not concerned with leaving the state as I don't think are borders are currently closed to other states. I have travel booked to Vic in December and hope things between the 2 states are on a positive path regarding travel.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

The problem with interstate travel is not fear of Covid but fear of state government's reaction to an outbreak. I know plenty of people here in Sydney who are hopeful of spending Christmas on the NSW north or south coast. However almost no-one is planning to visit Queensland, Tassie, or even Victoria.

There is a general feeling that once overseas travel restarts almost anywhere you can go won't come with the potential risk factors of visiting other Australian states. It is very sad. I wouldn't want to be working in tourism in most of Australia for the foreseeable future. Only NSW will pick up quickly with its own population supporting it for fear of going anywhere else.

Good thing we have so much in NSW to see and do /s

I worry for the future of our CBD hotels and as a result the businesses that surround them such as restaurants and cafes. In Sydney we may see some more closures and conversions to apartments which has been a trend in places like Kings Cross.

I'm curious what strategy you think NSW Government will pursue for regional NSW.

RIght now it seems to be covid-zero.

Post 80% it would not be a great holiday if for example you can go to your intrastate holiday only to be locked down because a case occurs in the place (eg Yass, Ballarat) you chose to visit, and then on return you had to isolate for the remainder of the 14 days.

I think the question also applies to intra-Victoria as well

 

[exceladdict]

As best I can tell, most of the lockdowns have had nothing to do with stopping/slowing the virus. They’ve been about making it easy for the police, and perhaps contact tracers. Destroying the economy to make life easy for the police sounds very East German. I’ve lost count of the number of lockdowns now, but every time we open up, there are more businesses that remain closed. Permanently. The local main streets are deserts of empty shops.

I do think hope it's ultimately about reducing deaths; both directly from covid and indirectly from the hospital beds being taken up by covid patients not being available for other general. I've found looking into various studies on excess mortality quite interesting, but this is getting off topic.

I have been a fan of the ABC's coronacast throughout the pandemic. I was just listening to Wednesday's episode. There's been conversation about Israel and Singapore, in both of which I understand 80% vaccinations has not been sufficient to reduce spread, impact on hospital system, and deaths.

I think we'll be in a "vaccinations AND [restrictions of various types]" world for years. Hopefully we are getting to the end of "AND" people can't return to their homes.

 

[jakeseven7]

The problem with interstate travel is not fear of Covid but fear of state government's reaction to an outbreak. I know plenty of people here in Sydney who are hopeful of spending Christmas on the NSW north or south coast. However almost no-one is planning to visit Queensland, Tassie, or even Victoria.

There is a general feeling that once overseas travel restarts almost anywhere you can go won't come with the potential risk factors of visiting other Australian states. It is very sad. I wouldn't want to be working in tourism in most of Australia for the foreseeable future. Only NSW will pick up quickly with its own population supporting it for fear of going anywhere else.

Our Sydney family have already booked flights out of NSW to both Tassie and Perth for Xmas...

I wonder who will be disappointed....

 

[jb747]

I think we'll be in a "vaccinations AND [restrictions of various types]" world for years. Hopefully we are getting to the end of "AND" people can't return to their homes.

And how is that going to be paid for?

 

[exceladdict]

And how is that going to be paid for?

Why, the same as with everything else, by Joe Public!

One would think that vaccines AND [masks] doesn't have a substantial cost. But, upgrading public and private buildings to meet airflow requirements, etc, will certainly have a cost.

 

[MARTINE]

Good thing ABBA are reuniting - we can hear the tones of ‘Money Money Money‘ everywhere…

 

[SydneySwan]

Our Sydney family have already booked flights out of NSW to both Tassie and Perth for Xmas...

I wonder who will be disappointed....

Are they spending 2 weeks in Tassie then onto Perth? I personally would be surprised if Perth opens up to NSW residents this year.

 

[mviy]

Why, the same as with everything else, by Joe Public!

But much of Joe Public can't work or have reduced income due to the restrictions. At some point something has to give and we have to reopen the state borders. We are supposed to be one country not several colonies.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Our Sydney family have already booked flights out of NSW to both Tassie and Perth for Xmas...

I wonder who will be disappointed....

"WA Premier Mark McGowan has said people from New South Wales will not be allowed into Western Australia for Christmas even if they are fully vaccinated. "

And I dont think we will be on the Indian Pacific at Xmas either !

 

[oznflfan]

But much of Joe Public can't work or have reduced income due to the restrictions. At some point something has to give and we have to reopen the state borders. We are supposed to be one country not several colonies.

Just imagine if the pandemic was really deadly, like MERS or EBOLA, if we are this fractured now, imagine how we would be living? Out of staters would be shot on sight. Guard turrets in Tweed.

 

[jakeseven7]

Just imagine if the pandemic was really deadly, like MERS or EBOLA, if we are this fractured now, imagine how we would be living? Out of staters would be shot on sight. Guard turrets in Tweed.

It would probably be over because the virus burns out much faster…. More bodies on the street though than this one.

 

[nutwood]

Just imagine if the pandemic was really deadly, like MERS or EBOLA, if we are this fractured now, imagine how we would be living? Out of staters would be shot on sight. Guard turrets in Tweed.

It was starting to get a bit like that last year. Travelling in regional areas with interstate plates, you could hear the banjos!

 

[Lynda2475]

and how is that going to be paid for?

I would expect that covid vaccinations will slot into usual vaccination pathways:
* 12 year olds get an initial double dose at school.
* If you are in a high risk group or on a health card, medicare pics up the tab for your booster.
* For the rest of us either your employer pays via a workplace scheme or you do (as happens with the flu vax each year).

The infrastructure to record your vax status is already in place in medicare app - booster should come through and green tick on check in apps removed if your booster is over due.