From this week, Perth will be welcoming Qld travellers without quarantine restrictions. Photo credit: Wikipedia
Western Australia is set to relax its border restrictions for Queenslanders and will allow quarantine-free travel from the Sunshine State from 12.01am on Wednesday (27 October).
“Following the latest public health advice, Western Australia’s controlled interstate border is set to be safely adjusted, pending no further outbreaks,” the WA Government said in a statement.
For almost two months now, travel has been allowed from Queensland to WA without approval, but 14 days of self-quarantine has been required.
With Queensland now transitioning from ‘low risk’ to ‘very low risk’ under WA regulations, visitors will, from Wednesday, have to complete a G2G Pass declaration before travel, stipulating that they do not have any Covid-19 symptoms and identifying which jurisdictions they have visited in the previous 14 days.
All Perth Airport arrivals must undergo health screening and travellers must be prepared to take a Covid test if deemed necessary by a health clinician.
Queensland visitors arriving at WA land borders will undergo health screening at the border checkpoint and have their G2G Pass declaration checked.
Meanwhile, WA continues to classify the Australia Capital Territory is a ‘medium risk’ jurisdiction, while Victoria and New South Wales are both classified as ‘extreme risk’ jurisdictions.
“Western Australia’s border controls are safe and sensible, allowing WA to remain open without importing the virus from high-risk locations like New South Wales and Victoria,” said WA Premier Mark McGowan.
“With the inclusion of Queensland as a ‘very low risk’ jurisdiction, about 10-million Australians are now free to come and go from WA, quarantine-free.
“As a priority, I ask those Western Australians who haven’t yet been vaccinated to do so immediately to protect yourself, your family and the rest of the community from this dangerous virus.”
According to the state’s Health Minister, Roger Cook, WA was intending to introduce the Queensland reclassification last week, but paused the decision when a new case emerged in Qld.
“The Acting Chief Health Officer has advised the border controls can safely transition to ‘very low risk’ from Wednesday, pending no new cases,” Cook said.