Victoria is celebrating 10 ‘doughnut days’ – zero new COVID-19 cases – the ring of steel is coming down and the state has joined the Trans-Tasman bubble club.
We’re pleased to be able to say ‘good news all round’ for our friends down in VIC right now.
Following the news that travel freedom is expected to expand from 23 November, when the NSW border reopens to Victorians (as long as cases stay low), Victoria is also the latest state to join the Trans-Tasman bubble.
The Trans-Tasman club
The front door to Victoria is now open to travellers from New Zealand, as VIC becomes the latest state to officially join the (one-way for now) Trans-Tasman ‘safe travel’ agreement, alongside NSW, NT, ACT and SA.
Under the agreement, travellers from across the Tasman are able to enter the bubble states without having to quarantine for 14 days once they arrive.
The decision comes as Victoria found itself unknowingly part of the travel bubble last month, with dozens of New Zealanders entering the state through NSW.
At the time of the confusion, Premier Daniel Andrews said “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,”
“It seems like the bubble applies to every part of our country, not just those that said yes.”
Mr Andrews said that today’s arrangement would formalise the travel bubble, rather than New Zealanders entering through the “back door”.
The small things
As well as the bubble agreement, from 00:00 this morning, Melbourne’s 25-kilometre movement limit and the “ring of steel” separating the city and regional Victoria has been scrapped.
“Victoria will be once again united as one single state,”
Premier Daniel Andrews
Victorians will also be allowed to have two different adult visitors and their dependants per day, either together or separately.
Stay safe and keep up the amazing work, Victoria.
READ: South Australia Joins The Trans-Tasman Bubble Agreement
READ: Tassie & New Zealand Travel Bubble Takes Off Late January 2021
READ: Happy Days: Tassie Is Officially Open To New South Wales