Coronavirus: Gladys Berejiklian’s bid to kick-start tourism

Premier Gladys Berejiklian looks to relax interstate travel restrictions but wants to make sure regional healthcare is adequate first.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said believes interstate travel isn’t far away and the government is working on a plan that will make it safe. Picture: AAP

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is looking to relax restrictions on travel within the state but first wants to make sure there is ­adequate healthcare capacity in regional towns.

Ms Berejiklian said she was looking to boost tourism revenue in regional NSW. While she was assured some would benefit from the move, she said others ­remained concerned the economic revival could be overshadowed by health consequences.

“People are feeling anxious about the virus and if their town’s been virus-free, they worry that tourists are going to come in and that’s going to change,” she told 2GB radio on Friday.

The Premier said it was imperative the state had “good healthcare capacity in all our towns to make sure if there is a breakout we can deal with it”. “I don’t think it’s far away, it’s a short time away and we’re working on a plan that will make it safe,” she said.

Earlier this week, The Australian revealed that interstate travel could return from July 1, after NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres demanded all state and territory borders be reopened to rescue the tourism sector.

He said infection rates had reached a point low enough to allow existing interstate travel restrictions to be lifted — a plan Ms Berejiklian supported, saying it was time to “start rebuilding the tourism sector’’ and marketing NSW as a safe holiday spot.

But she has continuously warned residents that easing restrictions can only occur if people continue to be vigilant and sensible. “Easing restrictions have failed in so many places around the world and I don’t want that to happen in NSW,’’ she said.

The NSW government aims to avoid crowding on public transport by advising businesses to rethink the time their staff start work. “We know overseas that public transport was the main reason why disease spread,’’ she said.