Can I still leave Tasmania if the borders are closed?

Tasmania’s border restrictions will remain in place until at least December, but many destinations on the mainland are accepting travellers with no mandatory quarantine. FULL LIST of border and travel restrictions around the country >>

• Borders to remain shut until at least December
• ‘Always with her daddy’: Tributes after fatal crash

TASMANIA’S border restrictions will remain in place until at least December 1, after a sensational announcement by Premier Peter Gutwein.

However Tasmanians can still leave the state, with many mainland destinations requiring no mandatory quarantine periods on arrival.

SEE THE FULL LIST OF MAINLAND RULES + TASMANIAN RULES BELOW >>

In Tasmania, all inbound travellers must quarantine, including Tasmanian residents.

Tasmanian residents can quarantine in private residences for 14 days, while travellers from other states must pay for hotel quarantine.

Victorians are still not allowed into the state unless they are essential workers.

WHAT ARE THE QUARANTINE RULES FOR OTHER STATES?

• SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Travellers leaving Tasmania can still enter South Australia without quarantine, as well as residents of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.
• QUEENSLAND: The Sunshine State is accepting anyone entering the state, so long as they have not been to a hotspot in the past 14 days. Queensland’s definitions of hot spots include all of Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
• NEW SOUTH WALES: Excluding Victoria, there are no restrictions in place for all other states on crossing the NSW border.
• VICTORIA: The borders of Victoria have always remained open to incoming travellers from interstate. Internal lockdown measures are in place, preventing intrastate travel.
• NORTHERN TERRITORY: The Northern Territory extended border restrictions from August 11, for at least 18 months. Travellers from Victoria and Sydney must quarantine for two weeks at their own expense. Travellers from other parts of the country must fill out a border declaration pass.
• WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Western Australia’s border remains closed to interstate travellers. Interstate residents cannot enter Western Australia without an exemption.
• AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY: The ACT border has always remained open. However, anyone travelling from Victoria to the ACT has been denied entry at the NSW border since July 8, unless granted an exemption.

WHAT ARE THE QUARANTINE RULES FOR TASMANIA?

Tasmanian residents who have spent time in high-risk areas specified as an ‘Affected Region’ or ‘Affected Premises’ in the 14 days prior to arrival in Tasmania are required to quarantine in government-designated accommodation.

This includes families with children and fly in, fly out workers.

All other Tasmanian residents must undertake their 14 days quarantine at home.

The following restrictions apply to people entering Tasmania if they have been in an Affected Region (currently Victoria and Affected Premises in NSW) or an Affected Premises that poses an elevated risk of transmission of COVID-19.

• Tasmanian residents, who are not classified as Essential Travellers, must quarantine in government-designated accommodation for 14 days. Read more about Quarantine, including fees payable.
• Non-Tasmanian residents, who are not classified as Essential Travellers, are not permitted to enter Tasmania and will be turned back at their own expense.
• Essential Travellers are not required to quarantine but are required to undertake health screening and a COVID-19 test on arrival, wear a face mask and limit their movement when not in the workplace. Anyone refusing to be tested will go into quarantine at government-designated accommodation for 14 days (and be required to pay the government-designated accommodation fee) or can leave Tasmania at their own expense. See Essential Travellers for more information.

People coming to Tasmania are not considered to have spent time in an Affected Region provided they have:

• transited directly through an airport and did not leave the airport except to board a flight; or
• transited directly through affected region by vehicle to an airport or seaport without breaking their journey, except to obtain fuel.

Will I be charged to stay in government-designated accommodation?

Non-Tasmanian and Tasmanian residents entering mandatory government-designated accommodation are required to pay a fee from 31 July 2020.

This applies to all non-essential travellers arriving in Tasmania who are required to undertake 14 days quarantine in government-designated accommodation.

This includes Tasmanian residents who have spent time in an affected region (currently Victoria) or an affected premises in the 14 days prior to arriving in Tasmania.

Tasmanian residents undertaking quarantine at their private residence are not required to pay a quarantine fee.

What information do I need to return to Tasmania?

• One of the following documents will be acceptable as evidence of to support quarantine at your own residence:
• Tasmanian driver's licence; or
• Another Tasmanian issued licence or identification type that includes a residential address; or
• Australian Taxation Office Assessment (2018/19); or
• Tasmanian vehicle registration papers; or
• Evidence of ONE of the following that must include the address of your Tasmanian residence and your full name, and is no more than six months old:
• Financial Institution Statement
• Utility Account (Power, Water, Telephone, Gas)
• Council rates notice
• Lease or Rental Agreement
• Land Tax Valuation Notice
• Certificate of Title.
• An authorised officer will review your evidence type at the gateway to Tasmania.
• Please note – a Statutory Declaration will not be accepted as evidence of residency at the border.

If you cannot produce suitable evidence

If you have arrived in Tasmania without one of the types of evidence listed, you must proceed to Government provided accommodation. You must stay there until you are able to produce suitable evidence. If you cannot produce suitable evidence, you must complete the quarantine period at the Government provided accommodation.

Applying to the State Controller for recognition as a Tasmanian resident

If you have evidence that is not listed but that you believe proves your residency, you may apply to the State Controller as part of your G2G PASS submission for it to be recognised as suitable evidence.

Please note that applications take a minimum of three business days to process. You are encouraged to submit your application prior to travel.

Can I still move to Tasmania?

• If you are currently in the process of moving to Tasmania from interstate, you may need to quarantine, depending on where you are travelling from and whether you have been in any affected regions or premises in the 14 days before you arrive. Read more about Coming to Tasmania.
• If you are required to quarantine and have evidence of Tasmanian residency including evidence that you own or have leased a residential property (see above) you may be able to quarantine at your residence.
• However, as per the quarantine conditions, you will not be able to leave your residence for 14 days and must isolate from all others who you do not live with.
• While in quarantine you are not permitted to leave the property to purchase supplies, so you should consider whether your new home has all the necessary items to quarantine there for 14 days.
• If your new residence is not currently ready for you to live there, you will need to complete your 14 days quarantine at government-designated accommodation.
• If you are yet to organise your ongoing living arrangements, you will need to seek other accommodation once you’ve finished your 14 days of quarantine in government-designated accommodation.

Follow @navaronefarrell

Originally published as Can I still leave Tasmania if the borders are closed?