Telemachus
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Some notes/thoughts on significant points from today’s PM presser and associated media release, including things mentioned in one but not the other:
Outbound travel
This is mostly very good (though overdue). Devil will be in the detail. Airlines will want more detail (a lot more) but let’s hope there is enough now for them to do the work to move to fuller loads on scheduled flights and to commit to additional services in and out (I see QF has moved already today).
I’m in NSW and am pretty content but appreciate there is rather less certainty here for people who live in other jurisdictions.
Outbound travel
- No precise date(s) yet but enough for all of us with Dec bookings to sleep better and a real prospect for those who rolled the dice and booked to depart in Nov.
- Reiteration that international vax certificates will be available in time, consistent with other reporting in last few days.
- International travel ban will remain for the unvaccinated, which is a reassurance before one spends 20+ hrs in a metal tube with hundreds of others.
- Uncapped arrivals for vaxxed citizens/PR at Phase C for ‘States that move into that phase’ – a form of words which acknowledges that the usual suspects may not want to go into Phase C at 80% of 16+.
- PM said he was adhering to the NP but nothing about Phase B inward travel at 70%. Media release refers to Phase B return of previous higher caps for unvaxxed arrivals but no mention of the NP’s new separate cap for vaxxed arrivals before Phase C starts – confirmation that the new cap for vaccinated arrivals at 70% is not happening?
- Ball in the jurisdictions’ court to complete trials successfully and have home Q ready to roll: given where we’re coming from, 7 days for vaxxed people ought to be broadly acceptable for most of us for the present.
- Pragmatic distinction between 4 TGA-approved plus 2 additional vaccines ‘recognised for purposes of travel’. Looks like a viable interim approach.
- Significant that we are still approving/recognising vaccines rather than national vaccination programmes for travel purposes, which is what some other countries do with a focus on integrity of the documentation. Related pax facilitation at overseas departure & Australian arrival could still be challenging.
- More ‘facilitated commercial flights’ to happen in Oct in context of home Q trials. Note condition that a jurisdiction only receives such flights if it has agreed to home Q trials (carrot & stick).
- Little about how home Q will work or rules for onward travel home by a resident in a jurisdiction other than the one where they arrive from overseas; not to mention the small matter of State border closures.
- No ‘red’ countries or traffic light system (this came out in the Q&A) so vaccination is the sole determinant of risk posed by an arriving passenger; but PM noted DFAT retains option to designate countries as Do Not Travel for health reasons. Lifting Do Not Travel is key to travel insurance.
- Little about Phase D in 2022 except for brief references to international students and quarantine-free bubbles with NZ et al for the future.
This is mostly very good (though overdue). Devil will be in the detail. Airlines will want more detail (a lot more) but let’s hope there is enough now for them to do the work to move to fuller loads on scheduled flights and to commit to additional services in and out (I see QF has moved already today).
I’m in NSW and am pretty content but appreciate there is rather less certainty here for people who live in other jurisdictions.
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