Australian state border restrictions

[Princess Fiona]

Princess Fiona - have you recently done a trip back to Aus from the UK? As someone based in the UK, planning to head to MEL next month, I wanted to ask you if it was ok on the test on arrival back into Aus. Is it possible to use any RAT/Lateral flow for that (i.e. free NHS tests we get here in the UK)?

Also, apart from filling in the ATD - any other forms to fill out?

Thanks

I went through SYD yesterday. There were prerecorded messages played from Fed Govt and NSW Health on arrival but nobody met us or gave us any info before leaving the airport. We used Lateral Flow tests we brought from the UK.
Partner arrived home through MEL at same time and was given a leaflet about RAT testing. He has since had two text messages from VIC health.
Zip from NSW health for me.
No extra forms to fill in, just the usual customs orange one.

 

[mviy]

Princess Fiona - have you recently done a trip back to Aus from the UK? As someone based in the UK, planning to head to MEL next month, I wanted to ask you if it was ok on the test on arrival back into Aus. Is it possible to use any RAT/Lateral flow for that (i.e. free NHS tests we get here in the UK)?

Also, apart from filling in the ATD - any other forms to fill out?

Thanks

I visited the UK recently from MEL and returned.

You can use whichever RAT you like on arrival. Also it’s highly unlikely anyone will check. Doing a RAT at home is pretty much an honour system. In any case it may not be that clear just from a photo of the result which test kit you used.

A few friends used tests they brought back from the UK. I was fortunate to get handed tests for free on one of the few days they were being handed out at MEL. Sadly they aren’t handing those out anymore.

If you test positive on the RAT you legally need to report that.

Victoria has an entry permit for international travellers to be filled out as well.

Be aware that RAT tests need to be stored between 2 degrees and 30 degrees. So don’t leave them in a hot car in MEL. If the weather is hot storing them in a fridge that isn’t on the coldest setting can be a good idea. You just need to let them warm back up to room temperature before using them.

 

[mviy]

No extra forms to fill in, just the usual customs orange one.

VIC has an international entry permit still I think. That’s how they know to message you about your obligations in VIC. Some airlines may ask you to produce this before boarding an international flight to MEL in addition to showing the ATD.

 

[jakeseven7]

My goodness the numbers being chucked around from WA are ridiculous for border restrictions to go....

Booster 90%? Are you kidding me? They are dragging their cough to get to that for just their double dose! Quite literally there will be people requiring fourth and god forbid probably fifth + doses in Australia before this happens, including those proactive people in WA who went out and did the right thing and got vaccinated when they were SUPPOSED to - how on earth is that fair to them, their families, their businesses?

At the very barrel of the bottom least, fully vaccinated WA residents should be able to come and go as they please with no quarantine or testing requirements, period and those with immediate family to visit under the same rules.

It is unfair punishing the whole WA population for a bunch of slow / anti vaxxers and a government that has sat around doing sweet nothing for 2 years then whining and stuttering they can't let people out.

This is ludicrous.

 

[hb13]

I went through SYD yesterday. There were prerecorded messages played from Fed Govt and NSW Health on arrival but nobody met us or gave us any info before leaving the airport. We used Lateral Flow tests we brought from the UK.
Partner arrived home through MEL at same time and was given a leaflet about RAT testing. He has since had two text messages from VIC health.
Zip from NSW health for me.
No extra forms to fill in, just the usual customs orange one.

Awesome, thanks for this!

 

[mviy]

Sadly I can’t see either side of Federal politics lifting a finger to challenge or support a challenge to WA’s hard border in the courts even after the election.

A business challenge in the courts to the closure is unlikely to be successful as the courts will take the minister’s word that he acted reasonably based on health advice so McGowan can do what he likes.

Only if the polling indicates a clear majority in WA want the border reopened is McGowan likely to change his stance.

 

[hb13]

I visited the UK recently from MEL and returned.

You can use whichever RAT you like on arrival. Also it’s highly unlikely anyone will check. Doing a RAT at home is pretty much an honour system. In any case it may not be that clear just from a photo of the result which test kit you used.

A few friends used tests they brought back from the UK. I was fortunate to get handed tests for free on one of the few days they were being handed out at MEL. Sadly they aren’t handing those out anymore.

If you test positive on the RAT you legally need to report that.

Victoria has an entry permit for international travellers to be filled out as well.

Be aware that RAT tests need to be stored between 2 degrees and 30 degrees. So don’t leave them in a hot car in MEL. If the weather is hot storing them in a fridge that isn’t on the coldest setting can be a good idea. You just need to let them warm back up to room temperature before using them.

Thanks for the info MVIY! Regarding the extra form for VIC, I can't seem to find this anywhere?

According to this website, there doesn't seem to be any VIC-specific forms?

Information for overseas travellers | Coronavirus Victoria

Frequently asked questions about international arrivals and quarantine requirements.

www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au

 

[hb13]

Sadly I can’t see either side of Federal politics lifting a finger to challenge or support a challenge to WA’s hard border in the courts even after the election.

A business challenge in the courts to the closure is unlikely to be successful as the courts will take the minister’s word that he acted reasonably based on health advice so McGowan can do what he likes.

Only if the polling indicates a clear majority in WA want the border reopened is McGowan likely to change his stance.

Yeh this is spot on. Sadly, nothing will happen. Even if there is a clear majority, the WA premier knows the next state election is still over 18 months away and anything he does now in terms of border closure will not matter then, unless of course WA is still closed in 2023/24.....which actually wouldn't shock me lol.

 

[MooTime]

I'm thinking WA cannot possibly open to rest of the country with 20-40k cases per day in NSW & VIC, plus 000's in other states.
How could they possibly open with their past history of ZERO policy, all states Extreme risk, how can you just forget/drop that, I'm not being negative, just you know thinking, really they just inviting the virus in big time. really??

The WA premier must've been reading AFF my post y'day........

shocking shocking & just embarrassing.

Worst thing is no light end of this opening tunnel.

it's a very minor point, but at least we live in a time when video calls are possible, we can see our WA friends & family on screen, even on big TV screen if we chose. Very little consolation I know.

I think this says quite a bit about WA health hospital system, even though they dismiss this point.

 

[mviy]

Thanks for the info MVIY! Regarding the extra form for VIC, I can't seem to find this anywhere?

According to this website, there doesn't seem to be any VIC-specific forms?

Information for overseas travellers | Coronavirus Victoria

Frequently asked questions about international arrivals and quarantine requirements.

www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au

On your link it was point 4 under Before You Arrive in Victoria.

It is here: COVID-19 border entry | COVID-19 | Service Victoria

It is in addition to the ATD. The ATD will definitely be checked. I don't think I was asked to show it coming back on QF10, but some friends travelling on EK were asked to show it but YMMV. Better to have it done.

 

[hb13]

On your link it was point 4 under Before You Arrive in Victoria.

It is here: COVID-19 border entry | COVID-19 | Service Victoria

It is in addition to the ATD. The ATD will definitely be checked. I don't think I was asked to show it coming back on QF10, but some friends travelling on EK were asked to show it but YMMV. Better to have it done.

Ah perfect, thanks for this! Really appreciate it. Don't want to leave any stone unturned.

 

[Mattg]

I can handle 14 day iso.
Looking at options lets say one month from now this is looking as real possibility.
A bit pricey, but if you really keen to get into fortress WA manageable.

View attachment 269411I think its ok with SIN transit rules as not suppose to clear immigration, just check in online and only have 2 hr between flighs.

That "cheap" FEPO flight from SIN-PER in February is being sold on the basis that the caps will be removed by then. If the current cap of 256 international passengers into WA each week is retained beyond 5 February, you'll probably be offloaded from that flight (or the flight will be cancelled).

 

[Eastwick20]

I took a deep dive through McGowan's Facebook and Twitter and I would say its around 70 - 75 percent support of his decision.

The simple fact is the majority of people of WA are strongly behind him and support the border remaining closed " to keep them safe "

I think the people of WA are mostly good people but where I feel sorry for them is they don't understand that for the rest of the country (and much of the world) we are battered and bruised but we realized had to put our big boy pants on eventually and face covid head on and that's what we did

The end is in sight or at least a covid normal has been reached

Mark's speeches to the people of his state are of chaos, turmoil, misery and depression over in the bad east, really? mostly I see happy people going about their life, going to cafes, bars, restaurants, theatres, friends and family houses for dinner.

The health system is stretched but that was always in the modeling,
Dan and Gladys both pointed out last year that the health care system was in for a world of pain on the horizon but that we had to accept that was the price of no more lockdowns, less restrictions and the ability to head to SYD or MEL and fly anywhere in the world.. and also come back if you want as well

For WA the pandemic hasn't even begun yet , they have our last 2 years to come even if their leader has convinced them otherwise.

 

[oz_mark]

WA has just created huge sovereign risk for all airlines. It’s going to take some time to undo that.

Not just airlines. What would you be doing today if you were a WA University? Or a whole range of other businesses.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Not just airlines. What would you be doing today if you were a WA University? Or a whole range of other businesses.

On the uni front, do what Aussie Unis were doing in 2020 and 2021 - heard they tried paying international students to do 14 days quarantine (plus the quarantine bill)....note there is at least one country with tougher rules than WA (not that that country is on a cordial basis with Australia!).

 

[straitman]

I took a deep dive through McGowan's Facebook and Twitter and I would say its around 70 - 75 percent support of his decision.

The simple fact is the majority of people of WA are strongly behind him and support the border remaining closed " to keep them safe "

I think the people of WA are mostly good people but where I feel sorry for them is they don't understand that for the rest of the country (and much of the world) we are battered and bruised but we realized had to put our big boy pants on eventually and face covid head on and that's what we did

I actually think there is a silent majority who do not approve of this decision. They just wouldn't waste their time with McGowan's FB or Twitter. I do know quite a few who were very supportive of him in the past but that number has now dwindled to one.

 

[exceladdict]

Have you ever flown with Scoot? Good wide body aircraft, not the usual budget 737s. It’s a good service from SIN-PER. Probably from other capital cities to Singapore too.

My experience on this flight was not very good, though I admit the blocked-sinus-pressure-headache and horribly behaving children were not necessarily scoot's fault.

Not just airlines. What would you be doing today if you were a WA University? Or a whole range of other businesses.

I agree, I am very surprised that international students didn't have special arrangements. But I accept the optics wouldn't be great to allow them in without allowing in certain other groups (overseas family etc).

 

[jakeseven7]

I think this says quite a bit about WA health hospital system, even though they dismiss this point.

Yes... The WA CHO was dragged out of the grave to speak and said this:

Dr Robertson said there was no Omicron modelling for WA ready to be released as it had not been done, but he also strongly defended accusations that the WA's hospital system was still not ready for COVID-19 cases despite having two years to prepare.

"Our hospital system is ready, we believe it is ready," he said

"People are assuming that we are trying to get the system ready over months to come, that is not the case, it's already been done"

"We've been working on this for a long time, because up until the last couple of weeks we had assumed we would be opening on the 5th of February, so to clarify we are "


And then our mates the AMA said this:

Australian Medical Association (AMA) WA president Mark Duncan-Smith has raised concerns over the continued absence of Dr Robertson at media updates about COVID-19.

"The AMA WA is calling on the Premier to increase transparency in decision making," Dr Duncan Smith said. "We are hearing highly contradictory statements from the Premier and Dr Roberston which has undermined trust in the government.

'It's an unhappy experience for many people. But it's the right decision for our state': McGowan firm on border call — As it happened

WA Premier Mark McGowan acknowledges his decision to keep WA's borders shut "upsets some people", but says it's the right call.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drron]

My goodness the numbers being chucked around from WA are ridiculous for border restrictions to go....

Booster 90%? Are you kidding me? They are dragging their cough to get to that for just their double dose! Quite literally there will be people requiring fourth and god forbid probably fifth + doses in Australia before this happens, including those proactive people in WA who went out and did the right thing and got vaccinated when they were SUPPOSED to - how on earth is that fair to them, their families, their businesses?

At the very barrel of the bottom least, fully vaccinated WA residents should be able to come and go as they please with no quarantine or testing requirements, period and those with immediate family to visit under the same rules.

It is unfair punishing the whole WA population for a bunch of slow / anti vaxxers and a government that has sat around doing sweet nothing for 2 years then whining and stuttering they can't let people out.

This is ludicrous.

Though the European regulator has come out against 4th and subsequent doses.

European Union regulators warned that frequent Covid-19 booster shots could adversely affect the immune response and may not be feasible.

Repeat booster doses every four months could eventually weaken the immune response and tire out people, according to the European Medicines Agency. Instead, countries should leave more time between booster programs and tie them to the onset of the cold season in each hemisphere, following the blueprint set out by influenza vaccination strategies, the agency said.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Yes... The WA CHO was dragged out of the grave to speak and said this:

Dr Robertson said there was no Omicron modelling for WA ready to be released as it had not been done, but he also strongly defended accusations that the WA's hospital system was still not ready for COVID-19 cases despite having two years to prepare.

"Our hospital system is ready, we believe it is ready," he said

"People are assuming that we are trying to get the system ready over months to come, that is not the case, it's already been done"

"We've been working on this for a long time, because up until the last couple of weeks we had assumed we would be opening on the 5th of February, so to clarify we are "


And then our mates the AMA said this:

Australian Medical Association (AMA) WA president Mark Duncan-Smith has raised concerns over the continued absence of Dr Robertson at media updates about COVID-19.

"The AMA WA is calling on the Premier to increase transparency in decision making," Dr Duncan Smith said. "We are hearing highly contradictory statements from the Premier and Dr Roberston which has undermined trust in the government.

'It's an unhappy experience for many people. But it's the right decision for our state': McGowan firm on border call — As it happened

WA Premier Mark McGowan acknowledges his decision to keep WA's borders shut "upsets some people", but says it's the right call.

www.abc.net.au

Bold and italics - so perhaps they knew 2 weeks ago that 5 Feb wasn't happening??? I'm guessing poor choice of words - back in the box