National plan ‘confusing, haphazard’ as phase B begins following 70pc vaccination

Australia has reached ‘phase B’ of the national plan, but the higher education and business sectors have raised concerns about where the road map leads.

Scott Morrison has praised the reaching of the 70 per cent milestone, saying the nation was likely to achieve one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. Picture: Gary Ramage

Australia has reached “phase B” of the national plan after hitting the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination threshold but with no return of international students, tourists or visa holders on the horizon, the higher education and business sectors have raised concerns on where the road map leads.

Under Doherty Institute modelling, phase B of the national plan outlines a raft of eased reopening measures, including easing restriction on vaccinated residents, restoring inbound passenger caps for unvaccinated and vaccinated passengers, and allowing “capped entry of student and economic visa holders”.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on Friday unilaterally announced NSW would reopen to the rest of the world, throwing open the state’s borders to fully vaccinated international arrivals without discrimination or the need to quarantine.

The announcement was followed by a snap press conference from Scott Morrison to correct the record, who said while he welcomed NSW’s announcement, Australian citizens and permanent residents would return before skilled migrants and international students.

“It is for the commonwealth to decide when the border opens up at an international level and we will do that,” the Prime Minister said. “In the first instance it will be for Australian residents and their families. We will see how that goes.”

With a return of international students still not on the horizon, International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood said the “beleaguered” international education industry, which had once taken heart from the national plan, was now “confused as to where it leads us”.

“On the one hand, our industry is told that state governments have the entire responsibility for international student return plans,” he said.

“On the other hand, last week we had the Prime Minister come over the top and maintain his primacy over who will be allowed to enter the country.”

Senior government sources asserted the national plan wasn’t “prescriptive” but a “guide”.

Mr Morrison in question time on Wednesday praised the reaching of the 70 per cent milestone, saying the nation was likely to achieve one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.

“We know vaccination is the key to being able to safely reopen to the world, which is why we have been planning for a time when we would reach vaccinations of 80 per cent, which is phase C of the ­national plan, and we are on track to achieve that nationally early next month.”

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said a clear signal was needed from the commonwealth on what the requirements would be for the broader international reopening.

“With vaccination rates reaching the critical thresholds required for reopening under the national plan, it seems we are still no closer to reopening our borders to skilled migrants, foreign tourists, inter­national students and working holidaymakers,” he said.

“If we don’t get borders reopened to international markets soon, we risk jeopardising the recovery of businesses already smashed by border closures, lockdowns and restrictions.”

AI Group’s Innes Willox said there was “a lot of haphazardness and anomalies” in the state and national plans.

“The deeper you look, the more confusing it becomes,” he said.

“Circumstances have also changed since the national plan was agreed due to the welcome faster pace of NSW easing of restrictions and opening borders.”