Tasmania will keep state border closed until at least December
Another state has made a grim Christmas prediction, with Tasmania announcing they will keep borders closed until at least December.
Tasmania’s Premier Peter Gutwein has announced the state’s borders will remain closed until at least December 1.
The announcement comes just a week after the Northern Territory’s Chief Minister announced border restrictions would be in place for 18 months in some capacity, while Queensland still remains closed to NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
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Mr Gutwein said his border closure forecast is to allow outbreaks in other states, including Victoria and NSW, to be brought under control.
The Premier said that in a bid to encourage intrastate holidays, Tasmanians will be provided with a $100 travel incentive as part of a new $7.5 million voucher system.
“In regards to extending our border restrictions for a longer period, we also recognise there is a need to do more to help our hospitality and tourism industry,” Mr Gutwein said in an address to state parliament on Tuesday.
“Today I’m also announcing intrastate visitation and to support Tasmanians getting out and visiting their own home state.
“We are announcing that we’ll be introducing the ‘Make Yourself at Home’ travel voucher, which means that across the months of September, October and November we’ll be making a total of $7.5 million available to encourage Tasmanians to travel outside of their municipality, to stay midweek in accommodation or to purchase a tourism experience for any day of the week.”
Mr Gutwein’s new travel voucher stimulus program means that participants can put the full $100 towards accommodation or $50 towards a tourism experience.
Meanwhile, Western Australia will delay further easing its COVID-19 restrictions by another two months, forcing the state government to cancel the Perth Royal Show.
Speaking to media on Tuesday, WA Premier Mark McGowan has now set a tentative date of October 24 for phase five to be introduced across the state, which would remove the two square metre rule on businesses and the 50 per cent capacity limit on large stadium venues.
“I can understand many people were hoping and planning for phase five to be introduced sooner and this decision will throw those plans out.
“But proceeding to phase five too soon is just not appropriate right now.
“We are trying to find the right balance here between protecting our community and keeping our economy as open as possible.”
Earlier today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison issued a personal plea to the Queensland Premier, begging her not to cause “unnecessary” harm with her border policy.
In a letter to the Queensland Premier, Mr Morrison said such services risked being “unnecessarily or unintentionally” impeded by border restrictions, warning it was “critical the movement of people, products and services impacting agricultural production be as streamlined” as possible.
“The time-sensitive nature of many facets of agricultural production and supply chains directly impacts our ability to meet consumer demand for Australian products, both in supermarkets around the nation and in high-value export destinations,” he wrote.
Mr Morrison is also seeking more consistent border restrictions between states.
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