International travellers and Australians arriving home could soon have their pre-departure testing requirements removed after PM Scott Morrison flagged a further easing of restrictions.
Travellers currently need to show a negative COVID-19 test result to board a flight to Australia even if they are fully vaccinated, but this could be set to change.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the removal of pre-departure testing is an important milestone for Australia.
He says Health Minister Greg Hunt will be making an announcement on the matter soon.
“While we’re never complacent about the challenges COVID can present and new variants, we’re watching all of those closely as we keep looking through that windscreen,” he told reporters in Cairns on Tuesday.
“Hopefully we can continue to see COVID in the rear vision mirror.”
However, a spokesperson for Mr Hunt says he is continuing to receive health advice before making further changes to Australia’s biosecurity measures.
The current biosecurity declaration will lapse on April 17, allowing international cruise ships to return to Australian waters for the first time since March 2020.
The government announced significant investments in tourism in the federal budget earlier this week in a bid to entice international travellers to return Down Under following two years of restrictions, border closures and strict quarantine control.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the $60 million tourism investment while visiting Cairns.
The package includes $45 million over two years for Tourism Australia to focus on regional destinations impacted heavily by the loss of international tourists, with an additional $15 million going specifically to Tourism Tropical North Queensland to promote the Great Barrier Reef to visitors.
For more information, visit www.homeaffairs.gov.au
Source: AAP