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25 March, 2020

All Aussies now banned from overseas travel, as NSW cracks down on self-isolation

The Prime Minister announced on Tuesday night that Australians will now be banned from overseas travel to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The government’s advice for overseas travel has been upgraded from “do not travel” to a flat-out ban.

“We have previously had a ‘do not travel’ warning on Smart Traveller in terms of all overseas travel. That will turn into a ban using the biosecurity powers that were afforded to us by the Governor-General through the Minister for Health,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

The Prime Minister said that while the number of people leaving Australia is very low, the number of those defying travel advice for overseas leisure travel is still alarming.

“They can’t do it because when they come home, that’s when they put Australians at risk.

“I had hoped that would have been fully complied with and I’ve got to say, Australians have been pretty good about it. But we need to put that arrangement in place.”

This comes as Aussies who have returned from overseas are being dobbed into the police for failing to follow self-isolation measures.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said during a press conference this morning that an increasing number of people are calling Crime Stoppers to report those who should be in self-isolation.

“This a joint responsibility for all of us, whether you’re the traveller, a federal authority or a state authority and it’s really important for all of us to adhere to what we need to do.”

“People need to know that this is not a joke, you need to take it seriously, lives depend on it, Berejiklian said.

The Premier said the number of those infected has reached over 1,000 in NSW with a vast majority of the cases coming from overseas.

“…many people who are coming in via planes or other modes of transport have acquired the disease,” she said.

“We know that and that’s why we’re ramping up not just what we do at the borders, but also what we do once those people self-isolate because the vast majority are doing the right thing.”

Berejiklian also said NSW was planning to introduce phone tracking technology so authorities can monitor where people are when they are supposed to be self-isolating.

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COVID-19 Gladys Berejiklian scott morrison Travel Ban