SA records no new cases for 13th day but its proposal for repat passengers to have COVID tests is rejected

Steven Marshall’s plan for all passengers on repat flights to undergo COVID tests before they board has been rejected.

The states and territories have rejected a proposal by the State Government for all passengers on repatriation flights to undergo COVID tests before they get on flights.

“The Premier raised this in National Cabinet and the advice from the Chief Medical Officer was that it was unlikely to significantly reduce the risk and unable to be implemented,” a spokeswoman for Premier Steven Marshall said.

She also said SA was not asked to increase its cap of international arrivals.

Mr Marshall is attempting to convince his Western Australian counter­part to open his borders as soon as possible, rather than waiting until Christmas Day due to a bizarre and contested 28-day threshold.

The request comes a day after Mark McGowan revealed he would not attend today’s national cabinet meeting in Canberra in person – to avoid being in the same room as Mr Marshall because of coronavirus concerns.

SA recorded no new COVID cases on Friday, for the 13th day in a row. There are now just four ontacts of the Parafield cluster in quarantine and no active cases in the state.

Mr McGowan on Thursday indicated quarantine-free travel from SA to WA was not likely to start until Christmas Day, arguing SA had not been 28 days with no community cases.

That would mean any South Australians visiting family in WA, who arrive before Christmas Day, would be forced to quarantine for a fortnight.

Mr Marshall told The Advertiser he would continue to lobby Mr McGowan to open the borders as soon as possible.

“I do find it difficult to understand any health advice that he might have received,” Mr Marshall said.

Premier Steven Marshall arrives at one of the daily state COVID-19 updates last month. Picture: Kelly Barnes/Getty

“It has been stated that we have to go 28 days without any community transmission.

“Well, we have not had any community transmission in SA since early April.

“Every other jurisdiction has lifted their border restrictions with us and I think it is time for Mark McGow­an and WA to do that ahead of Christmas.

“I will be appealing to Mark McGowan because there are so many South Australians with friends and family in WA and we really want to see those people reunited this Christmas.”

Scott Morrison said Mr McGowan’s decision not to attend the meeting in person “takes the prize” in a year of “strange rules”.

WA Premier Mark McGowan speaks to the media at Perth airport about reopening the borders with other states. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tony McDonough

“I mean, I’m not going to make Steven Marshall sit in the corner … with a plastic suit or something tonight or anything like that. I think we’ll all be quite safe,” the Prime Minister said.

However, after the national cabinet he admitted states needed to follow its own rules.

“Every state and territory has its rules and those rules need to be upheld,” Mr Morrison said.

“We want Australia open by Christmas, and we are going to achieve that.”

Federal Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Mr McGowan should be setting an example to Australians that it was safe to resume travelling where it was appropriate.

Plans to make all Australians returning home on repatriation flights undertake COVID-19 tests before they leave will also be pushed by Mr Marshall.

“It is something that I have already spoken to all of the other states about ahead of this meeting,” he said. “Ultimately, it will be something that needs to be agreed on a national basis and I look forward to progressing that matter tomorrow.”

National cabinet will also discuss travel bubbles, the economy, mental health and emergency management.