Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[DC3]

Did anyone else know they'd renamed Howard Springs quarantine 'The Centre for National Resilience? ...

Sounds like a term that someone from marketing would come up with.

 

[Pushka]

UK has released their green list, 12 countries initially with reviews every 3 weeks. It's smaller than 12 really as no direct flights from some of these, so as soon as you transit somewhere else it becomes Amber/Red.........

Portugal
Israel
Singapore
Australia
New Zealand
Brunei
Iceland
Gibraltar
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
St Helena, Tristan de Cunha, Ascension Island

Does this mean testing and no iso only for Brits?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Does this mean testing and no iso only for Brits?

No it’s everyone who enters the UK from those countries

 

[burmans]

Did anyone else know they'd renamed Howard Springs quarantine 'The Centre for National Resilience'? (something from an Atwood novel??)

Well we know above all else our PM is a marketing man who loves a good slogan over actually doing things.

 

[SydneySwan]

Did anyone else know they'd renamed Howard Springs quarantine 'The Centre for National Resilience'? (something from an Atwood novel??)

Sounds pretty Orwellian to me. Were the DPRK's advisors hired to come up with a new name?

 

[dajop]

Some more discussion of the future of HQ, but also includes some factually incorrect information about other countries arrangements (specifically Singapore which requires everyone except those coming from a handful of countries to do HQ for 21 days):

Is hotel quarantine the nation’s Achilles heel?

Howard Springs is the gold standard, but it’s hard to replicate in hotels. Is there a better way?

www.smh.com.au

 

[mviy]

No it’s everyone who enters the UK from those countries

So if I could be let out of the country I could easily get to the UK via Singapore and return the same way. It's getting the exemption to go that's the problem.

 

[SydneySwan]

Some more discussion of the future of HQ, but also includes some factually incorrect information about other countries arrangements (specifically Singapore which requires everyone except those coming from a handful of countries to do HQ for 21 days):

Is hotel quarantine the nation’s Achilles heel?

Howard Springs is the gold standard, but it’s hard to replicate in hotels. Is there a better way?

www.smh.com.au

My bolding - does that include foreign ministers? What about film stars, sports players?

 

[Amanad78]

So if I could be let out of the country I could easily get to the UK via Singapore and return the same way. It's getting the exemption to go that's the problem.

How about Aus to NZ, then NZ to UK via Singapore. Or did that loophole get closed? Not sure about difficulties getting back though

 

[SydneySwan]

How about Aus to NZ, then NZ to UK via Singapore. Or did that loophole get closed? Not sure about difficulties getting back though

I don't think it was closed (how could they?). However the threat of 5 years jail and / or 66k fine remains.

 

[Pushka]

How about Aus to NZ, then NZ to UK via Singapore. Or did that loophole get closed? Not sure about difficulties getting back though

It was closed.

 

[SydneySwan]

It was closed.

So NZ authorities will stop you?

 

[blackcat20]

So NZ authorities will stop you?

No but you are subject to penalties if you didn't meet one of the exemptions for leaving Aus.

 

[SydneySwan]

No but you are subject to penalties if you didn't meet one of the exemptions for leaving Aus.

Isn’t that what I already indicated in post 6330?

 

[Pushka]

Isn’t that what I already indicated in post 6330?

I can’t remember where I read it, but the penalties have only been mentioned with regards to India which was after I read it was closed, in a FB exemptions group.

 

[blackcat20]

Isn’t that what I already indicated in post 6330?

Yes but the first part of what I said answers your question

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I can’t remember where I read it, but the penalties have only been mentioned with regards to India which was after I read it was closed, in a FB exemptions group.

They can't 'close' the loophole because NZ has no power to stop an Aussie citizen boarding a flight to wherever they want to go... if that's Asia, UK, or USA.

The government *said* they closed the loophole by requiring you to apply for an exemption if you intended to travel beyond NZ. Completely unenforceable until you got back to Australia, they found out you'd lied, and then you could be subject to 5 year's jail and/or $66K.

Now... because the PM has said they will never use the fines or jail time... the loophole is effectively open again, and without penalties, who cares?

The fines were never introduced just for India. They were always there for any breach of this part of the Biosecurity Act.

 

[Pushka]

They can't 'close' the loophole because NZ has no power to stop an Aussie citizen boarding a flight to wherever they want to go... if that's Asia, UK, or USA.

The government *said* they closed the loophole by requiring you to apply for an exemption if you intended to travel beyond NZ. Completely unenforceable until you got back to Australia, they found out you'd lied, and then you could be subject to 5 year's jail and/or $66K.

Now... because the PM has said they will never use the fines or jail time... the loophole is effectively open again, and without penalties, who cares?

The fines were never introduced just for India. They were always there for any breach of this part of the Biosecurity Act.

Thanks. So the loophole was 'closed' only by advertising penalties when you returned. There are so many people who want to relocate overseas - ie live overseas then it's certainly what I'd do if no plans to return within 12 months or so. Because even those people are being refused an exemption.

So, a holiday to NZ and while there you get an emergency call to go to the UK for a family crisis?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks. So the loophole was 'closed' only by advertising penalties when you returned. There are so many people who want to relocate overseas - ie live overseas then it's certainly what I'd do if no plans to return within 12 months or so. Because even those people are being refused an exemption.

So, a holiday to NZ and while there you get an emergency call to go to the UK for a family crisis?

Exactly right! Except you wouldn't even need the family emergency.

The deterrent was in the fines. But the India debacle has pretty much put an end to the effectiveness of the Act in that respect.

The only thing now that makes the Act semi-workable is (a) being stopped at the airport outbound if you are flying to anywhere but NZ and don't have an exemption and (b) the the caps on arrivals making it more expensive to come home.

We don't have exit cards anymore. I guess it could have been an offense to say you were going to NZ and would return in '14 days' or whatever but actually be intending to depart permanently. But we don't have those cards anymore.

 

[Pushka]

Exactly right! Except you wouldn't even need the family emergency.

The deterrent was in the fines. But the India debacle has pretty much put an end to the effectiveness of the Act in that respect.

The only thing now that makes the Act semi-workable is (a) being stopped at the airport outbound if you are flying to anywhere but NZ and don't have an exemption and (b) the the caps on arrivals making it more expensive to come home.

Booking a return flight to NZ and not booking anything until in NZ would seem to be the trick. No reason to stop you exiting Australia then.