Australia’s borders have been closed since March last year, causing much frustration and sadness to both Australians who are trying to get back into that country, as well as to non-Australians who wish to travel there to visit family and friends.
SYDNEY’S UNILATERAL REOPENING
Last Friday New South Wales’ Premier, Dominic Perrottet made an unexpected announcement, stating that vaccinated international travellers could visit the Australian state without the need to quarantine from 1 November.
The announcement caught the attention of media across the world, bringing hope to many who have been wanting to travel to Australia for over one year, but who have not been able to, due to the extended border closure.
“For double-vaccinated people around the world, Sydney, New South Wales, is open for business. We want people back. We are leading the nation out of the pandemic. Hotel quarantine, home quarantine is a thing of the past. We are opening Sydney and New South Wales to the world,” Perrottet said, as quoted in TravelNews.
SYDNEY’S REOPENING BLOCKED
Just hours later, Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, dashed the hopes of many Australians’ and international travellers hoping to travel to Sydney in Australia.
Morrison announced at a press conference that the state of New South Wales would not be able to reopen its borders. He said that New South Wales would be subject to regulations decided by Australia’s Federal Government.
“We’re not opening up to everyone coming back to Australia at the moment. I want to be clear about that. It is for the Commonwealth and Federal Government to decide,” Morrison said.
WHO CAN ENTER AUSTRALIA?
Australia has had caps on the number of people allowed into the country. Entry has been limited to citizens and permanent residents, who have been subjected to a 14-day hotel quarantine on arrival, at their own cost.
Morrison stated that initially, only vaccinated Australian nationals and residents and their immediate families will be allowed to enter when New South Wales’ borders reopen. Skill migrants and international students will be the next permitted arrivals.
At this point in time, South Africans are not able to travel to Australia for tourism purposes. Indications are that Australia’s borders will reopen for tourist visits only next year. Qantas says it intends to resume flights between Sydney and Johannesburg in April 2022.
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