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The 'Not So' Great Australian Border Mystery, Reopening When?

Fresh off the back of the government's latest inconsistent and scaremongering headlines around Australia's border remaining shut until 'sometime' in 2022, senior ministers are still refusing to define any plan or timeframe to work towards, leaving the travel and tourism industry in the dark, once again.

Fresh off the back of the government’s latest inconsistent and scaremongering headlines around Australia’s border remaining shut until ‘sometime’ in 2022, senior ministers are still refusing to define any plan or timeframe to work towards, leaving the travel and tourism industry in the dark, once again.

Today’s federal budget will reportedly include an underlying assumption that borders will not reopen until some stage in 2022.

But a more precise timeline or plan of action remains a complete mystery.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who even wore a tie decorated with tiny aeroplanes to parliament on budget day, remains coy on the reopening date. He is also refusing to say how crucial the speed of the national vaccine rollout will be.

“We make some assumptions around the vaccine rollout, around border closures, around the containment measures that are put in place in respect to COVID-19,” Mr Frydenberg told reporters in Canberra.

“But it’s very hard to be precise in the middle of a pandemic. There’s a lot of uncertainty globally, domestically, with respect to the virus.

“So tonight’s budget has those assumptions in place but the key point is we will always follow the medical advice and we’ll always do our best to keep Australians safe.”

Unless those Australians are outside of Australia right now, obviously.

Delhi_India
Delhi, India

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said tourism operators deserved clear answers on border closures.

“This government gives different answers every day, and that is creating massive uncertainty for the tourism sector, for those who are reliant on our economy opening up,” he said.

Mr Albanese said the federal government had two jobs – vaccinations and quarantine – and had fundamentally failed both tasks.

“Unless we get that right, then you will have the continued and ongoing restrictions on our economy; you will have continued breakouts,” he said.

Speaking yesterday in response to the government’s vague 2022 border reopening headlines, Transport and Tourism Forum chief Margy Osmond said “As countries all over the world put in place calendars and targets for opening, that is all we are asking for.”

Is that really too much to ask after 15 months of having no roadmap whatsoever to take us out the other side?

Keeping the border closed to incentivise more vaccinations

Vaccination-Passport

Health Minister Greg Hunt has promoted access to international travel when borders reopen as an incentive for Australians to roll up their sleeves for coronavirus jabs.

The government is creating a three-principle path for reopening, including travel bubbles, immunisation and potential changes to quarantine rules.

Mr Hunt said global medical evidence about the impact of vaccination on transmission would guide any changes.

“There’s near universal prevention of serious illness, hospitalisation and loss of life,” he said.

“There is a high prevention of infection and re-transmission, but clearly not universal.”

He said a progressive opening would be important for hope and understanding across Australia.

“Is travel an incentive for people to be vaccinated? Absolutely,” the health minister said.

Changi Airport, Singapore
Singapore anyone? The Jewel at T4, Changi Airport.

Singapore and Pacific nations such as Fiji and Vanuatu are likely to be the next countries with trans-Tasman New Zealand-style green lanes allowing quarantine-free travel to and from Australia.

Though once again, there’s still no visible plan to work towards for the travel industry at large.

“It is foreseeable that there will be lesser requirements on those who are coming into Australia if they have been vaccinated,” Mr Hunt said.

“That’s a very important incentive, and a point of hope, and a path way to normalisation.”

It appears Australians are divided about the merits of the government’s controversial India travel ban.

More than half of those surveyed for an Essential poll thought Australian citizens should be allowed to return from India.

However, 41 per cent agreed with fines and jail time for anyone caught breaching the travel ban.

So where to next? All will be revealed in tonight’s budget it seems. Or perhaps not.

Via AAP