The state government has announced plans to upgrade New South Wales to a high risk jurisdiction, forcing approved travellers to return a negative test and provide proof of vaccination.
The state government has announced plans to upgrade New South Wales to a high risk jurisdiction, forcing approved travellers to return a negative test, provide proof of vaccination and use the G2G app while in quarantine.
During a press conference this morning, Premier Mark McGowan said the worsening situation in New South Wales presented too much of a risk to Western Australia and had prompted the state’s emergency management team to review its controlled border risk matrix.
With more than 100 approved travellers entering WA from the state in the past 48 hours and no sign of the outbreak improving over the coming weeks, Mr McGowan said the state government had been forced to act.
From 12.01am Tuesday, August 17, New South Wales will be reclassified as a 'high risk' jurisdiction, with approved travellers required to return a negative PCR test, have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and a mandatory requirement to use the G2G app while completing 14 days of quarantine.
Under the revised risk matrix, a state will be deemed high risk if it records between 50 to 500 community cases per day, while an 'extreme risk' level will be reserved for jurisdictions that record more than 500 community cases per day.
Under the newly-introduced threat level, approved travellers will also be required to return a negative PCR test and have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but will be required to complete quarantine at a state facility.
The new rules, which are a national first for interstate travellers, have been reviewed and deemed to be lawful, Mr McGowan said.
The news comes just hours after New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the state had recorded another two deaths and 390 locally-acquired cases today.
It takes the total number of active locally-acquired cases to more than 5,800.
The new rules are tough but fair and would provide a pathway for Western Australians in New South Wales to return home, according to Mr McGowan.
How the new rules would affect those who had been exempted to date, including Commonwealth officials and freight workers, would be discussed during today's national cabinet meeting.
“The situation is very serious and very concerning,” he said.
“The outbreak in New South Wales is of growing concern, both for their own people and for the rest of Australia.
“With no sign of the situation improving over the coming weeks, we’ve had to make tough decisions.
“It’s a tough but fair approach.
“If you are a Western Australian in New South Wales wanting to come back, it gives you a pathway back.
“But they have to meet the criteria, and they’re tough criteria, but it gives the incentive to get vaccinated.
“No one expected New South Wales to be in months and months of lockdown.”
Following the outbreak in the ACT, it will move to a medium risk jurisdiction from tonight.
South Australia will move to a low risk jurisdiction.
The approval criteria for New South Wales travelling to WA was further tightened in July after the state was moved to ‘medium risk’.
Meanwhile, Mr McGowan has flagged that a 'vaccination blitz' would be launched come Monday, as the latest vaccination statistics show WA trailing well behind the rest of the country.
Just 21.3 per cent of Western Australians over the age of 16 have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 40.8 per cent have had their first dose.
Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT are leading the charge, with between 28.2 and 30.1 per cent of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
