Thanks for that link to the Guardian article about the latest communication from the QLD Government, as the article mentions, many applicants for exemptions to enter QLD and many applicants for hotel quarantine who have never received a response from their application up to 27 days ago in my case (although there would be many with even longer delays I'm sure), I just thought the QLD Government were sulking, but possibly overwhelmed by numerous duplicate applications and unable/unwilling to expand the current hotel quarantine capacity? The Guardian article seems to be implying a more manual intervention as they directly contact people and try to understand their travel plans, if they contact me I will certainly be telling them that my travel plans have been subject to their own constantly changing rules and due to this uncertainty I'm not going to be making their job easier by committing to anything yet.
If we take the massive leap in logic and believe the current QLD rules and believe that they will stick to the further re-opening on the 17th Dec, with the all domestic quarantine going in the scrap heap (and all PCR tests required 72 hours before entry) then is the current working assumption that the PCR tests on days 1, 5 & 12 is also impractical/impossible to enforce?
The other interesting thing is does anyone know if there has been a hard date given to the hotels that hotel quarantine for domestic will cease, or maybe they will keep the hotel quarantine system for international arrivals? Obviously it would be a logistical and commercial step for the state government to terminate existing Hotel quarantine contracts.
I think I can see how this is going to play out, the onerous home quarantine and PCR testing regime will keep everyone out of QLD until the 17th Dec, when importantly, road access will also be possible for entry into QLD, and there will be a rush of QLD residents previously locked out, back into the state, but I think it might be too late for the QLD tourism industry as I would be assuming that any holidaymakers have made other arrangements by now including meeting up in other states like NSW and VIC with the assumption that after Xmas and New Years people will return to their own states (except for WA residents).
Text below might be useful if anyone's spam folder has accidentally eaten this email and who might be unaware of the latest communication, its pretty generic but seems to be suggesting that the QLD is keen to clear this massive administrative backlog that they have constructed themselves.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
QLD GOV <
[email protected]>
Dear Returning QLD Resident,
Queensland has now reached the critical milestone of 70% of the eligible Queensland population having received their second COVID vaccine dose. The Queensland Government can now move to the 70% fully vaccinated stage of Queenslands COVID-19 Vaccine Plan to Unite Families (Vaccine Plan). This means that we will be expanding our home quarantine arrangements to any person who has been in a hotspot as long as they meet the eligibility requirements set out in this letter. If you are eligible, from 5 pm Monday 15 November 2021, you will be able to apply for a border pass to enter home quarantine in Queensland. This letter provides information about how you can do this. Eligibility for expanded home quarantine From this date, if you have been in a declared hotspot in the past 14 days you may travel to Queensland provided you:
Are fully vaccinated (a person who is 16 years of age or over, has received the prescribed number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and it has been 2 weeks since the final dose) or evidence of a recognised medical contraindication obtained from an eligible health practitioner
Arrive by air to any Queensland airport, including one transit via Brisbane (you cannot arrive by road)
Have a negative COVID-19 test taken within the 72 hours prior to arrival in Queensland
Undertake 14 days home quarantine subject to conditions set out by Queensland Health.
If you cannot meet these criteria or have been overseas in the past 14 days or in an interstate exposure site, you need to meet the relevant requirements for entry and will be required to undertake 14 days quarantine in a government-nominated facility, such as, a quarantine hotel. Home quarantine can occur at a suitable residence, this means a self-contained dwelling with no shared common areas accessible by any persons other than those residing at the dwelling. A self-contained dwelling may include a standalone (detached) house, or a unit, duplex or townhouse where there are no shared common areas, with separate entrance (fresh air to front door) that requires no access via shared enclosed areas such as a foyer, stairwell or lift. It may include temporary commercial accommodation (for example, a short-term rental accommodation). It does not include an apartment within a highrise building, hotel room, house boat or caravan, motorhome or caravan park cabin. Your nominated quarantine residence must be within a 2-hour safe driving distance from your final airport of arrival into Queensland (noting you can have one transit via Brisbane as long as you remain within the confines of the airport). Participation requirements for home quarantine Travel from the airport to the nominated quarantine residence must be by prescribed transport (a vehicle driven by a household member who will quarantine with you, a private vehicle driven by you which is accessed by a contactless process which only you or a household member travel in during the quarantine period, a hire car obtained by a contactless process or a Government endorsed transport provider). You are not allowed to travel by mass transport (for example, trains or buses) or personalised transport (for example, taxis, limousines, and ride-share). Other members of the household must be advised of their requirement to home quarantine together with you upon your arrival for 14 days. Household members over the age of 16 must also have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to participate in home quarantine with you. During the 14-day home quarantine period, you will be required to participate in the home compliance check-in service (
www.qld.gov.au/home-quarantine-checkin). In addition, you must also undertake a COVID-19 PCR test on days 1, 5 and 12. Applying for home quarantine (from 5pm Monday 15 November 2021) If you meet the above criteria and requirements for home quarantine, you are invited to reapply from 5pm Monday 15 November 2021 for a Queensland Border Declaration Pass (QBDP) (
Entry to Queensland) and select the option I am a domestic traveller who meets the criteria to home quarantine. Once it has been verified that, based on your answers, you qualify for home quarantine, you will be required to upload the following supporting documentation during the application process:
Proof of identity (for example, Drivers licence, Medicare card, Passport)
Evidence of being fully vaccinated or evidence of a recognised medical contraindication obtained from an eligible health practitioner
Flight itinerary detailing the date and time of arrival to your final destination in Queensland (do not book your flights until you receive a message throughout the application process confirming you meet the home quarantine criteria)
Evidence of having undertaken and received a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours of arrival into Queensland.
Upon successfully submitting your application from 5 pm Monday 15 November 2021, you must cancel your previous QBDP application via the following link which is unique to you: https://www.qld.gov.au/border-pass/border-pass-cancellation/xx_yyyyzzz.
It is is important to cancel your previous application to prevent unnecessary delays in application processing. If you do not meet the home quarantine criteria you are not required to do anything. Your QBDP application remains valid and will be processed as soon as possible. QBDP application times are dependent on available hotel quarantine capacity. If you believe there are extreme and exceptional circumstances that apply in your case to prioritise your application, you should continue to use the Queensland Health Exemptions process. You can apply for an Exemption through the following portal (
Exemptions).
Sincerely,
The Queensland Government
