Tougher entry measures considered for travellers from Victoria, as train stowaways sent back
Mandatory border testing rules will be imposed after the Premier revealed his frustrations at court leniency for four Victorian men caught stowing away on a Perth-bound train.
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Travellers from Victoria will face even tougher entry measures, as South Australia’s transition committee focuses its attention on extremely worrying signs across the border.
People caught entering SA will risk $1000 on-the-spot fines – starting on Saturday night – if they do not undertake mandatory COVID-19 tests.
Premier Steven Marshall has also lashed out at the leniency shown to four Victorian stowaways, who flew back to Melbourne on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, an Adelaide woman, who had returned home from overseas via Melbourne earlier this month, was confirmed as the first new positive case in SA for 17 days.
While the transition committee will on Friday discuss reopening NSW and ACT borders, a decision is not expected until Saturday.
But Mr Marshall did stress the situation in NSW was completely different to Victoria, which on Thursday recorded 317 cases – the largest single-day increase since COVID-19 entered the country.
“We are becoming increasingly concerned about the growing numbers in Victoria,” he said.
“We have great confidence here in SA of keeping on top of the situation but we just cannot be complacent.
“We have just had a lesson in real time across the border of what happens when this disease gets out of control.
“We would take immediate action if we had significant increases in numbers to protect the population of SA.
“Reimposing restrictions would be extraordinarily harsh on jobs and morale but, ultimately, we are charged with the responsibility of keeping our social state safe and you can see the consequences when you don’t move quickly enough.”
The four stowaways, who walked out of court without penalty on Wednesday despite facing a $20,000 fine for breaching COVID-19 restrictions, tested negative for the virus.
Amid criticism from business groups and the opposition that the government’s response had been too little and too late, Mr Marshall said from midnight on Saturday, anyone crossing the border from Victoria would be required to have a test within 24 hours and again on day 12.
Victorians must be deemed essential travellers to be allowed entry to SA – provided they take a test, quarantine for 14 days and wear protective equipment when interacting with others.
All other Victorians are turned away.
Opposition health spokesman Chris Picton said the new fines were 10 days too late.
He also asked why the mandatory testing was not now being applied “to the 1300 people who came from Victoria in last Wednesday’s border rush”.
Labor also vowed to introduce legislation into parliament next week that would give courts the option of jail time for anyone who breached COVID-19 laws in the future.
Deputy chief public health officer Mike Cusack on Thursday confirmed SA’s 444th case. He said the woman had acted properly and her infection was in the recovery period.
Her close contacts had been tested, including family who had returned negative results.
“She was not infectious on her flight (on Sunday night),” he said.