Kangaroo Island travel ban is off the table, police commissioner says
A ban on travelling to Kangaroo Island has been ruled out in the immediate future, despite a council vote to push for the move.
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Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has ruled out any immediate ban on visitors to Kangaroo Island, despite a council vote to lobby for the move.
Kangaroo Island Council on Thursday decided to approach Mr Stevens to push for a ban on non-essential travel between the region and mainland.
It followed a petition signed by more than 4100 people calling for the ban, which would exclude freight and emergency travel.
But Mr Stevens said he did not support a travel ban to the island, saying it was being “treated like every other part of SA”.
The ban had support from Kangaroo Island Tourism, Food, Wine and Beverage Association, which gave its backing before the council vote.
Association chairman Pierre Gregor said the region was ideally suited for a travel ban because of its isolation from the mainland.
Locals were worried about the impacts of coronavirus spreading in a community where the local hospital had no intensive care unit and just two ventilators.
They were particularly concerned about the health of elderly residents, as the region is home to an older demographic.
The move was a drastic about-face from earlier this year, when businesses were pleading with mainland residents to help them rebuild the economy following the devastating effects of the bushfires.
“We’re saying we really appreciate all the help you’ve given us, however, you’re hurting, we're hurting and at this stage help us by not coming here because of the threat of circulating the virus,” Mr Gregor said.
“Frankly, a lot of businesses are closed as well. If you come now, you’re a threat to our health and if you come now your experience would be extremely limited because most of our businesses here have closed.”
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The island recorded its first case of coronavirus this week – a person who had travelled from interstate.
Mr Gregor said he understood that under the council’s push, islanders who were coming back from the mainland would have to undergo mandatory self-isolation.
Premier Steven Marshall reiterated that expert health advice was to not travel unless it was essential.