Steven Marshall says NSW border to open to SA from midnight Wednesday night

It’s official. The NSW border to SA will open from midnight Wednesday night, authorities announced on Tuesday morning.

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Reopening South Australia’s borders with NSW from midnight Wednesday (12am Thursday), just in time for the school holidays, will significantly boost the economy and help businesses recover, the state’s leaders say.

In a highly anticipated decision after weeks of uncertainty, the Transition Committee authorised lifting restrictions, based on health advice and subject to no community transmission cases in NSW on Wednesday.

“There’s always going to be some risk involved with this pandemic,” chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said. “But we just can’t wrap ourselves in cotton wool forever.”

As school holidays start on Friday, the easing was universally welcomed by business and tourism groups.

From Thursday, any visitor except from Victoria can enter SA without quarantining, but must still apply. Only approved essential travellers from Victoria can cross. Those who crossed from NSW before midnight Wednesday must still isolate for 14 days. Police Commissioner and state COVID co-ordinator Grant Stevens warned officers would be checking on people.

Premier Steven Marshall said the lifting of borders “will be massive relief for people dislocated from family, friends and business opportunities”.

“We know this has been a massive burden … but we did this to keep people safe,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has been pushing for borders to reopen for weeks, praised the decision.

“I think South Australia will benefit greatly from that,” he told Sky News last night.

Official figures show NSW is the state’s second largest tourism market. More than 800,000 visitors spent at least $779 m last year – second to Victoria’s $1.032 billion.

SA Tourism Commission chief executive Rodney Harrex, said it was “just the shot in the arm our tourism sector needs right now”.

Business SA boss Martin Haese said the “significant milestone” would help “SA get back to business and back on track”.

Property council SA executive director, Daniel Gannon said it was a “massive win for prosperity, jobs and a more resilient” state. Broken Hill Mayor Darriea Turley could “hear people popping champagne in the street”.

Police figures show just 2177 people crossed NSW borders last week. On Tuesday two COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in NSW but as both patients are in hotel quarantine there has been no community transmission detected for a fortnight. Concerns over an infectious Sydney taxi driver have been mitigated due to a flood of detailed information.

Warning against complacency and urging people to social distance, Prof Spurrier, pictured, said all restrictions, such as standing up drinking in licensed venues, were constantly reviewed. She said she wanted the state to “settle into a bit of a pattern”.