Coronavirus: overseas travel ban extended to September 17
The ban on Australians travelling overseas has been quietly extended for a further three months, to September 17.
The ban on Australians travelling overseas has been quietly extended for a further three months, to September 17, but exemptions will be made should nations be deemed safe.
Australia’s ban on international departures was due to run for three months from March 18 to June 17, but was extended without fanfare on May 15 for a further three months.
This means Australians cannot travel overseas before September 17, although a Health Department spokesman said this would not prevent proposed travel “bubbles” with New Zealand or other nations that have COVID-19 under control.
“The human biosecurity emergency is currently in force until September 17, 2020 — it was extended on May 15, 2020, for a further three months to ensure the Australian government continues to have an appropriate range of powers available to manage the ongoing pandemic response,” the spokesman said.
“The outgoing travel restriction on Australian citizens and permanent residents is currently in effect for the duration of the emergency period.
“Amending these restrictions, for example to enable travel to NZ, is a decision for both governments that will be made in due course, when the public health risk is assessed as being sufficiently safe. The Australian and New Zealand governments continue to work together on this matter.”
Confirmation of the extended travel ban is bad news for those keen to chance an overseas break. However, it is good news for those wanting to cancel holidays abroad booked between June 17, when the ban was due to end, and September 17, when it now expires.
Many travel insurance policies do not allow claims for COVID-19, with fine print excluding either pandemics or risks known when the policies were taken out.
However, some policies allow those who booked before the virus became public knowledge — a “known risk” — to claim if the period of their travel coincides with a forced government travel ban. These are generally those who purchased policies before late January, with the exact relevant date varying between different insurers.
The Insurance Council of Australia said the extension of the travel ban removed a lot of uncertainty for those who had trips booked from mid-June to mid-September.
“It creates more certainty; there was a lot of confusion,” said council spokeswoman Lisa Cable.
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