Dominic Perrottet refuses to be drawn on overseas visitor vaccine boosters

Dominic Perrottet is refusing to be drawn on whether international tourists to NSW will need a third jab during a series of confusing television interviews.

NSW would benefit from billions in tourism revenue at the expense of other states when the border reopens, if it allows travellers without a booster dose to avoid quarantine.

But Premier Dominic Perrottet is refusing to be drawn on whether international tourists will need a third jab to enter the state during a series of confusing television interviews this morning.

It is understood the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is set to provide advice to government as early as Thursday which will state that people need three doses to be fully protected, potentially locking out millions of tourists if that definition is extended to overseas visitors.

Tourists will return to Australia from February 21, but one requirement remains up in the air. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The Daily Telegraph understands that Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has advised the Commonwealth government that two doses are sufficient for someone to be allowed into Australia, because of low international booster-dose rates.

However, NSW public health orders state that overseas visitors needs to have “received the number of doses required for a complete course of a Covid-19 vaccine” to be considered “fully vaccinated”. It was unclear on Wednesday whether that would force any tourists who haven’t had a third dose into 14-day hotel quarantine after arriving in NSW.

If the expert body on immunisation deems that someone needs three Covid-19 vaccine doses to be “fully vaccinated,” the Perrottet government would need to clarify public health orders to ensure un-boosted tourists could avoid being sent into isolation.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is ready to welcome international tourists back to Sydney. Picture: Toby Zerna

Should ATAGI change its advice, people without a third dose could be locked out of many settings in Victoria, under plans from Premier Daniel Andrews. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said while double-vaccination is currently sufficient for travel, she would follow Mr Andrews’ lead if ATAGI changes its advice.

Mr Perrottet on Wednesday said the NSW government is “awaiting additional advice” from ATAGI which would be “considered”, and on Thursday would not commit to enforcing the third dose for travellers.

NSW attracts more short-term visitors than any other Australian state or territory. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The Premier hinted NSW would allow travellers in if they are double vaccinated after Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s comments on Wednesday.

“I’ve always taken the view that it’s best to have national consistency here. And where we can work together to achieve a coherent position across the country, we should,” Mr Perrottet told Channel 9.

“My understanding is that, in relation to the ATAGI advice (to be triple jabbed) that’s in respect of Australians.”

“That is a different situation for those people coming from overseas in circumstances where they have different procedures and rules in place for their country.

He added: “I understand yesterday the Prime Minister has said that, in relation to international arrivals from overseas, which has different rules in place, that they will need a two-dose vaccination. So we will work through those issues.”

Mr Perrottet later said tourists might need a third jab to enter high risk settings like hospitals or aged care.

“When we receive that ATAGI advice, if we need to ensure that there’s a third dose requirement for those high-risk settings, then we will consider that and more than likely apply it,” he said.

While Victoria and Queensland have said three doses would be required for most settings, the NSW government has not made a decision on mandating three doses.

44.8 per cent of the 16+ NSW population have received three jabs. Picture: Lyndal Irons/SMH Pool

Before the pandemic, some of our biggest tourist markets were travellers from India, China, and the US.

With 73 per cent of Chinese and Americans unboosted and 99 per cent of Indians not having had their third jab, experts are warning a three-jab rule would effectively exclude thousands of potential tourists.

“NSW is a tourism powerhouse, attracting more short-term visitors than any other Australian state or territory,” federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said. “We should welcome visitors with open arms.”