Question mark over Victorian border opening as new virus cases mount

The doors open to Queenslander visitors from midnight but South Australia might not be so welcoming to our Victorian cousins with new coronavirus cases mounting there.

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Visitors from Queensland are the latest to have coronavirus shackles removed but mounting concern from authorities about a spike in Victorian COVID-19 cases could lead to the border bans remaining in place to the east.

As South Australia recorded its 24th day of zero daily virus cases, restrictions to the sunshine state are lifted from midnight amid pressure from Canberra for other states to reopen their borders.

This week, SA lifted bans on visitors from Western Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory, who are not required to self-isolate for 14 days.

But other states are yet to relax their requirements for SA travellers.

While all of our state’s borders are due to reopen from July 20, authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about the rate of cases to emerge in Victoria amid fears of a second wave, meaning border bans could remain in place after that date.

Today 13 patients were reported in Victoria, in what was the third consecutive day of double-digit rise as that state’s total cases hit 1792.

There have been 440 virus cases in SA.

Speaking after the state’s Transition Committee today authorised the latest overhaul to bans, Premier Steven Marshall urged other leaders to lift their bans.

He said legal advice showed SA “shouldn’t be unnecessarily detaining people without due cause”.

He told the national Cabinet that SA border bans, which had halted the virus, would be lifted in a “staged approach”.

“It is our intention that we lift all our state borders on July 20 but we don’t have a crystal ball and we don’t know what level of community transmission will be in different jurisdictions around the country,” he said.

“We are going to be doing every single thing we need to do to keep the (public) protected. I have got to say Australia is doing extraordinarily well.

“We have won the gold medal.

“We do have some concerns about some jurisdictions but overall we are doing well as a nation.

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“We will keep borders in place if they need to be kept in place … to keep the people of South Australia protected.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country had to be open to get Australians back into jobs.

“All of us must do everything we can to open up our economy and get Australians back into work,” he said.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said more officers were patrolling the South-East and increased resources had been sent to the airport as travellers’ details had to be taken.

He said borders were reviewed daily.

Chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, added: “Things have been going very well in Victoria up until the past couple of days.”

A Queensland Government spokesmansaid bans would remain until July 10.