SA, NSW borders: No community transmission means border will open at midnight

As NSW announces they’ve had another day of no community transmission cases of coronavirus, South Australia is expected to open at midnight.

NSW residents are set to flock South Australia, after recording another day of no community transmission cases in the past 24 hours.

On Wednesday, NSW Health announced there had been six new cases of coronavirus diagnosed across New South Wales up to 8pm on Tuesday night.

No community transmission was recorded, out of more than 16,500 tests - a marked improvement on the past few days.

The 14 day run of no community transmission cases in NSW means that South Australian Premier Steven Marshall will swing open his state’s border from midnight. Visitors from NSW to SA will no longer be required to undergo mandatory quarantine as of Thursday morning.

NSW residents will be able to travel to South Australia from midnight. Picture: Simon Dallinger.

From midnight, the only part of Australia banned from entering South Australia is Victoria.

Earlier today, Mr Marshall let slip his state would be opening to NSW residents during an interview with Channel 9’s Today show.

Speaking to host Allison Langdon, Mr Marshall revealed he had in fact received the NSW community transmission numbers early.

“NSW has been doing extraordinarily well, so we are pretty confident that as of midnight tonight the border with NSW that has been closed for months and months will reopen and we can’t wait to welcome people from NSW with open arms,” he said.

Langdon pulled up the Premier, questioning how he was so sure the borders would open at midnight given the official numbers for NSW had not been released.

“I got an update towards the middle of last night and there hadn’t been anything that had been reported,” he explained of the intel.

“So we are pretty confident that it’s going to happen.”

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Channel 9’s Today Show host Allison Langdon during the interview.

SA Premier Steven Marshall let slip when the border will open.

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Mr Marshall said today’s figures marked a complete 14-day incubation period for NSW, and that bringing in visitors in time for the school holidays will be a huge help to boost South Australia’s economy.

“This has been a massive distraction for our economy in SA and people have done it tough with family dislocation, business dislocation, all that comes to an end as of midnight tonight so we’re really looking forward,” Mr Marshall said.

“This has been based on health advice but of course very strong economic benefits from opening the border with NSW.”

Mr Marshall hinted that there will be no community transmission cases in NSW today. The opening to NSW, means the whole of Australia – bar Victoria – can enter South Australia.

“Things are looking much better in Victoria, but changing the borders arrangements there are still a few weeks off.”

In addition to South Australia, Queensland will throw open its borders to five additional NSW shires from next weekend.

The 41 postcodes that make up Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley, and Glenn Innes shires will be welcome in Queensland from 1am on October 1, with Queensland residents allowed to “travel freely” to those regions.

Cape Du Couedic Lighthouse on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said residents would be able to apply for a border pass to travel around Queensland, and Queenslanders “will also be able to travel as well”.

“I think this is a great effort to consider how we can make our border zones more effective, but also looking at these areas have a lot in common with Queensland … So we believe that this is the right measure to take,” she said.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said she hoped it would make life easier for northern NSW residents.

“There have been no cases in those border areas for quite some time … there have been no cases north of Sydney for quite a while,” Dr Young said.

“So it is safe to open up. The people that live on that border have a lot more to do with Queensland than they do with NSW.

“We know the difficulties (border closures) have caused those communities.”