COVID Australia: WA border opens to NSW and Victoria as planned from midnight

Premier Mark McGowan says Western Australia’s state border will reopen to NSW and Victoria overnight. Here’s every thing you need to know.

Western Australia’s Premier Mark McGowan says the opening of his state border with NSW and Victoria will go ahead as planned from midnight.

As of 12.01am Tuesday, residents from Victoria and NSW will be able to enter WA without having to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days.

Addressing media on Monday, Mr McGowan said that despite the border bungle that saw two international travellers skip hotel quarantine in Sydney and board a flight to Melbourne, the state felt it was still safe to reopen.

“Close personal work and travel contacts in this case were identified, tested and quarantined under NSW Health’s arrangements,” he said.

“It’s very pleasing to know that no further cases have been identified over the last five days.”

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Despite a single outbreak in NSW last week, WA Premier Mark McGowan said the border will still open. Picture: Tony McDonough/NCA NewsWire

The announcement means Victoria and NSW residents will join Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory in entering the state without having to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine.

In a further announcement, Mr McGowan said South Australian residents will be able to also enter the state from midnight on Thursday, pending no further outbreaks.

Mr McGowan said he would be watching case numbers in NSW, Victoria and South Australia “like a hawk”, but that the health advice indicated it was safe to reopen the state.

“All through the pandemic I’ve made it crystal clear that Western Australia will take a careful, cautious approach to opening the border,” he said.

This morning our Chief Health Officer provided us with updated health advice for our border controls.Our controlled...

Posted by Mark McGowan on Sunday, 6 December 2020