Trans-Tasman travellers arrive in South Australia, despite state not being in ‘bubble’
Five trans-Tasman travellers have arrived in Adelaide and are now in hotel quarantine.
According to Premier Steven Marshall, the group arrived in the state unexpectedly on a flight from Sydney, despite South Australia not being part of the travel bubble agreement.
Currently, one-way travel from New Zealand to Australia is only available to NSW and the Northern Territory. However, arrivals from New Zealand have been reported in Victoria and Western Australia as well.
Premier Marshall made the announcement at a press conference on Monday afternoon, after the five New Zealand arrivals entered the state on Sunday.
According to ABC News, he said the passengers identified themselves at Adelaide Airport and are now in hotel quarantine in Adelaide.
The state government is now reportedly considering its border arrangements with New Zealand.
“We are looking very closely at the arrangements with regards to our borders with New Zealand,” Premier Marshall told the press, via ABC News.
“They’ve done extraordinarily well and we’re hopeful that we might be able to lift that border restriction with New Zealand when it’s safe to do so.”
The Premier added that all the state’s coronavirus protocols had been observed when the passengers arrived in SA.
“Our system here in South Australia works extraordinarily well,” he said.
Speaking to the national broadcaster, an SA Police spokeswoman confirmed the Premier’s statement.
“All have been placed into medi-hotels to complete quarantine as per normal arrangements with international travellers,” she told ABC News.
“There will be an increase in public information to ensure sufficient information is being disseminated in SA and NSW to advise travellers of the requirement to quarantine if travelling to SA.”
Warnings in place to alert visitors of travel restrictions: Birmo
Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham this morning told ABC Radio that while NSW and the NT had opened to arrivals from New Zealand, other states, and territories – like SA – had clear rules in place.
“For other states, they are able to treat arrivals from New Zealand just the same as they’re treating arrivals from any other country of the world,” he said.
“So, if people land in New South Wales and spend 14 days in NSW and then come onto SA, well then of course they’ll be treated like an arrival from New South Wales.
“But if they land in NSW and decide they’re going to head straight to SA, well then they’ll be treated like anybody who happened to arrive on any other international flight that arrives in SA.”
According to The Advertiser, the Australian Border Force considers Kiwi arrivals as domestic travellers once they arrive in Australia, but the SA government labels them international arrivals who must quarantine.
Senator Birmingham said warnings were in place to alert visitors to state and territory travel restrictions.
“There are ample warnings for individuals who are going through airports, getting on planes, booking your ticket, logging in to get your boarding pass,” he said.
“At every step of the journey there are basically warnings telling you that you travel between Australian states at your own peril at present … and you need to check in advance on the conditions that apply to you.”
According to reports, NZ arrivals receive a federal government document advising on rules.
One-way trans-Tasman travel began on Friday, with Kiwis now allowed to enter NSW and the NT under a border agreement between Australia and New Zealand.
Victoria will not force Kiwis into quarantine
Despite an agreement being made between just two of Australia’s jurisdictions, others have been seemingly forced into the bubble.
According to 9News, the Victorian government yesterday acknowledged, after days of protest, Kiwis were free to travel to Victoria from other states and did not need to quarantine upon arrival.
“Currently Victorian borders are open. If you are travelling from New Zealand and have passed all relevant immigration and biosecurity requirements as established by the federal government, New South Wales government and Northern Territory government, then you are able to travel to Victoria,” the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website reads.
“You do not need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Victoria.
“If you have travelled from New Zealand and you have symptoms associated to coronavirus (COVID-19), you should not travel to Victoria. If you do, you may be subject to detention under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 on your arrival.
“You will be subject to the relevant health directions and restrictions in place during your stay in Victoria and may be subject to heavy penalties should you breach those.
“If you intend to leave Victoria, you will also be subject to the requirements of other states and territories in Australia, which may require you to quarantine in that state or territory or you may be refused entry to that state or territory.”
It comes after reports that at least 55 trans-Tasman travellers had arrived in Victoria on connecting flights from NSW. The number of arrivals is now thought to be as high as 65.
At his daily press conference yesterday, Premier Daniel Andrews claimed the state had been forced into a travel bubble of which the state did not want to be a part.
According to 9News, he conceded the state was now a part of the travel bubble.
“We are not particularly pleased that we were asked the question ‘do you want to be in a bubble?’, and it turns out that even though we said ‘no, we are’, but that is the fact of the matter, that is what we faced,” Premier Andrews said.
“It seems like the bubble applies to every part of our country, not just those that said yes. We can’t change that.”
Featured image source: iStock/ai_yoshi
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.
storm in a teacup given NZ is Covid free – and most are returning Australians in any case. Nice welcome home!