There are “three principles” on a roadmap to reopening Australia to the rest of the world, Health Minister Greg Hunt says.
Australia’s borders were slammed shut at the height of the pandemic last year and, until recently, international travel had been all but impossible.
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But as the vaccine rollout ramps up, Hunt says, Australians should be looking forward to reopening soon.
How soon, he said, depends on three criteria.
They are establishing “green lanes” for travel, such as the New Zealand travel bubble, the vaccine rollout and health advice on whether vaccinated Australians could quarantine in a setting that isn’t a hotel.
“It’s about progressive opening and I think that’s very important for hope and understanding in Australia,” he said.
“And that’s based on evidence and the science.
“And so the roadmap is built around the three principles.
“Firstly, around the notion of green lanes, with New Zealand initially where that is working well ... and that capacity can be expanded to the Pacific, possibly Singapore or possibly to other countries.
“Secondly, there is the vaccination program itself, and the spread of vaccination, the growing numbers we are seeing.
“Thirdly, what we are also looking at with regards to the opening of borders, is that progressive capacity, based on medical advice for those that have been vaccinated to have easier passage out and easier passage in.”
He said on the third point that the circumstances would be dependant on global medical advice.
Currently, there is an indication that people who have been vaccinated can still carry COVID-19.
Last Friday, New South Wales’ weekly analysis showed six returned travellers who had the virus had also been fully vaccinated.
Whether they can transmit the virus on, however, is still being probed by global medical authorities.
Hunt said easing international travel was “absolutely” an incentive to encourage vaccination.
But the tourism sector says there’s too much uncertainty on international borders and is asking for a specific time frame.
Tourism and Transport Forum chief Margy Osmond on Monday called for a clear calendar on when international travel would resume.
“It is just too hard for the industry at this point in time when we’ve got no certainty about dates,” she said.
“When we do finally open the door to international tourists again, what on earth are they going to see and do? Hardly any of those attractions will still be there.
“As countries all over the world put in place calendars and targets for opening, that is all we are asking for.”
According to early looks at the 2021 federal budget, the assumption is that international borders would open in 2022.
However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that’s far from a certainty.
“We still have a long way to go and there are still many uncertainties ahead,” he said.
Hunt made the comments during a weekly update on Australia’s coronavirus response.
For the first time, he said, more than 400,000 vaccines had been administered in a single week.
There were no new locally acquired cases nationwide on Monday, the 81st day in 2021 without a new case.