Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

I'm actually getting more confident on a relaxing of overseas travel rules as COVID spreads more and more in NSW. with >500 cases a day, HQ is now redundant in NSW. As long as vaccination rates keep up, i foresee a relaxing of travel restrictions in the near future (e.g. October).

Although not so much for those with destinations beyond NSW.
 
It will mean single quarantine for those that need to return via Sydney eg to WA, SA, NT, etc instead of double quarantine, assuming they let State residents return.

Yes, If they are allowed to enter from NSW at all, as technically many of the overseas arrivals are not residents of any state, many probably don't even have an Australian drivers license.
 
Same! We need to virus to circulate and become endemic within Australia to make the risk of incursion irrelevant; then borders will reopen.

Hoping this is the start!

Agreed. This is the BEST thing that could hjave happened - an uncotrolled outbreak.

And I have a feeling that as more and more people get vaccinated in SYdney, a lot more are not going to give a cough about lockdowns and the R value will remain above 1 (meaning cases will keep on going up).

This all removes the notion of 'letting COVID in'.

Imagine we still had zero cases - NO WAY would any pollie open borders and 'let COVID in'.
 
Agreed. This is the BEST thing that could hjave happened - an uncotrolled outbreak.

It’s sad that it had to be that way, but you’re right. The vaccination rollout was being stuffed up on all levels. From federal government right down to the individual citizens. We were never going to reach an appropriate level of vaccination without this occurring. The blessing is that it happened in NSW. This was always going to be the state that accepted reality first.
 
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Yes, If they are allowed to enter from NSW at all, as technically many of the overseas arrivals are not residents of any state, many probably don't even have an Australian drivers license.
Yes, I was focussed more on Australian residents leaving and then returning after seeing family overseas, being able to return to their 'covid-zero' home state of residence, but it would equally apply to overseas tourists going to a 'covid-zero' state or a non-resident Australian citizen going to a 'covid-zero' jurisdiction (all via Sydney).
 
Hey Guys. BIG BIG News.

So those of you who might have been following, I have a fiance in Vietnam I have not seen since COVID began and I have been trying to leave Australia as incoming is shut off.

Well as of 4 PM today, Prospective Marriage Visas are now EXEMPT from the incoming travel restrictions. So overseas fiances/fiancees can now come to Australia (assuming they can find a space on a flight with the travel caps and have to do 14 day HQ)

This means they are starting to loosen travel restrictions and slowly more and more categories can be added to the exemptions hopefully.
 
Hey Guys. BIG BIG News.

So those of you who might have been following, I have a fiance in Vietnam I have not seen since COVID began and I have been trying to leave Australia as incoming is shut off.

Well as of 4 PM today, Prospective Marriage Visas are now EXEMPT from the incoming travel restrictions. So overseas fiances/fiancees can now come to Australia (assuming they can find a space on a flight with the travel caps and have to do 14 day HQ)

This means they are starting to loosen travel restrictions and slowly more and more categories can be added to the exemptions hopefully.
The first of many hopefully. Hopefully there will also be an increase in caps
 
I'm actually getting more confident on a relaxing of overseas travel rules as COVID spreads more and more in NSW. with >500 cases a day, HQ is now redundant in NSW. As long as vaccination rates keep up, i foresee a relaxing of travel restrictions in the near future (e.g. October).
Oh I hope so. Not that it will help our family as our son’s travel window has passed. But it would help others for sure.
 
Hey Guys. BIG BIG News.

So those of you who might have been following, I have a fiance in Vietnam I have not seen since COVID began and I have been trying to leave Australia as incoming is shut off.

Well as of 4 PM today, Prospective Marriage Visas are now EXEMPT from the incoming travel restrictions. So overseas fiances/fiancees can now come to Australia (assuming they can find a space on a flight with the travel caps and have to do 14 day HQ)

This means they are starting to loosen travel restrictions and slowly more and more categories can be added to the exemptions hopefully.
Oh how wonderful for you both. I hope your fiancé gets here very soon and you can get on with your lives. Very happy for you.
 
Oh how wonderful for you both. I hope your fiancé gets here very soon and you can get on with your lives. Very happy for you.

Thanks mate. I genuinely think that this signifies a change from 'fortress Australia' to letting COVID in now.

There is also pressure from media to open borders once we reach vaxx rates. Media pressure can make or break the government as evidenced by the reversal of Indian travel ban and exemptions for PMV's.
 
When today‘s numbers are released tomorrow we could be at 50% for first doses for 16+ which would put us at an even higher level for the voting population. So it won’t be too long before the fully vaccinated levels increase significantly and more and more people will not only want, but expect their freedoms back including international travel.
 
Hey Guys. BIG BIG News.

So those of you who might have been following, I have a fiance in Vietnam I have not seen since COVID began and I have been trying to leave Australia as incoming is shut off.

Well as of 4 PM today, Prospective Marriage Visas are now EXEMPT from the incoming travel restrictions. So overseas fiances/fiancees can now come to Australia (assuming they can find a space on a flight with the travel caps and have to do 14 day HQ)

This means they are starting to loosen travel restrictions and slowly more and more categories can be added to the exemptions hopefully.
That's fantastic mate, long time waiting for you guys, I can't imagine the loooong wait.

Just out of interest is he/she vaccinated & was that a requirement by/on Aus side?

Good stuff.
 
Once home quarantine comes in it should be come significantly easier for travellers whose vaccination status is recognised by Australia to get here. If those people aren't taking up hotel quarantine places then that may make it a little easier for unvaccinated arrivals that still have to do hotel quarantine as well.
 
Gladys again said today that we need to learn to live with Delta once we reach 80% and NSW are just living with it a bit earlier than expected and 80% triggers freedoms, international travel etc.

We might have 700 odd cases a day but still have the most sensible premier

I just STRUGGLE to understand how states like WA and QLD will turn their mindset into 'letting COVID in' from international travel once they reach high vax rates. It's actually quite frightening if you live in those states.
 

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