Hope for Melburnians entering SA when borders open

Melburnians’ chances of travelling to South Australia without having to isolate have been boosted after a health data anomaly was revealed.

The chances of double-vaccinated Melburnians being able to travel to South Australia from November 23 without the threat of having to isolate on arrival have been boosted following the discovery of a health data anomaly.

Melburnians would effectively have been locked out of South Australia – and vice versa – when the state reopened its borders to Victoria next week because of outdated Covid data, jeopardising more than $500m worth of tourist dollars.

The news sparked frantic letters from the City of Melbourne and Greens MP Ellen Sandell to authorities around the country, pleading for the anomaly to be fixed so families could be reunited and Melbourne could benefit from interstate tourism.

Due to official vaccination rates being based on population data from the 2016 census – which included a large number of foreign students and people who have since fled the city – much of Melbourne has yet to reach the 80 per cent mark despite the state nearly hitting 90 per cent.

But South Australian authorities now believe Melbourne and Sydney’s double vaccination rates of about 70 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively, are inaccurate – and significantly lower than in reality – because they are based on outdated population data.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall. Picture: Getty Images

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said the state government was working to correct the “statistical anomaly” ahead of border restrictions easing on November 23.

He said this, coupled with continually increasing vaccination rates, had the potential to push Melbourne and Sydney’s rates above the 80 per cent double vaccination threshold required to freely travel into SA once borders are opened.

It comes after it was revealed that Melbourne and Sydney’s vaccination data was based on 2019 population figures. This meant the data did not factor in that headcounts in those cities had plummeted as a result of a mass exodus of international students due to the pandemic.

According to the official vaccination rates, based on the old population data, only 71.8 per cent of City of Melbourne residents have been fully vaccinated.

Yarra was at 74.5 per cent and Port Phillip was at 76.9 per cent.

This meant South Australians would have to quarantine at home following a trip to Melbourne and put a cloud over the possibility of Victorians visiting family in South Australia over Christmas.

Melburnians should be able to visit Adelaide without quarantining. Picture: Getty Images

But Mr Marshall said authorities now believed the vaccination rates in Melbourne and Sydney were actually higher than the official data indicated.

He said the statistics were being reviewed.

“It’s a very legitimate concern and it’s one that we need to get right before the 23rd because we don’t want to have the situation where South Australians head over there and then on the way back they have to (go into) isolation so we’ll make sure that everybody is very clear about that before the 23rd,” Mr Marshall said.

From November 23, double-vaccinated South Australians and interstate visitors entering SA will only have to isolate if they have come from a local government area with community transmission and a double vaccination rate of less than 80 per cent.

While community transmission continues to plague Melbourne and Sydney, if the cities achieve the 80 per vaccination rate, then double-jabbed travellers coming from there will not have to isolate when they enter South Australia.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said that before the pandemic, South Australian tourists contributed $533m to the Victorian economy.

“The buzz is coming back to Melbourne and we want to welcome as many interstate visitors as possible to fill up our hotels, restaurants, shops and events,” Ms Capp said.

“It’s vital that South Australian tourists have confidence to visit and spend time in Melbourne and are not deterred by travels restrictions based on erroneous data.”