What do Tasmania’s new border control laws mean for you?
The Tasmanian Government has declared a State of Emergency and tougher border restrictions will be in place for people coming into Tasmania. But what does this mean?
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THE Tasmanian Government has declared a State of Emergency and tougher border restrictions will be in place for people coming into Tasmania.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Everyone coming into Tasmania will now be required to quarantine for 14 days. This means domestic travellers from mainland Australia and those travelling from overseas.
WHO IS EXEMPT?
See below for details about who is exempt from the requirement to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Tasmania.
HOW WILL IT WORK?
All visitors to Tasmania must review the information in this fact sheet and complete an Arrivals Card. The Arrivals Card can be completed upon arrival at terminals in Tasmania.
All travellers are required to quarantine for 14 days unless they meet essential traveller or exemption criteria.
WHAT DOES QUARANTINE MEAN?
During 14 days of quarantine, you must stay at home or in your hotel, except to access medical care.
Don’t go to public places, including work, school, childcare, university, shops or public gatherings. Only people who usually live with you should be in the home. Do not see visitors.
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DOES THIS QUARANTINE APPLY TO TASMANIAN ISLANDS?
Travel restrictions do not apply for people travelling from Tasmanian islands such as King and Flinders to mainland Tasmania. However, they will apply to anyone travelling to Tasmanian islands from mainland Australia, including residents returning home to the island.
Mainland Australians flying into a Tasmanian island and then on to mainland Tasmania will need to begin their 14 days quarantine upon arrival at that island before continuing their journey onto mainland Tasmania.
WILL FREIGHT STILL BE ABLE TO COME INTO TASMANIA?
Freight will continue to come in and out of our state. Tasmanians can be assured we will have the essential supplies we need.
WHO IS EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO QUARANTINE?
ESSENTIAL TRAVELLERS
Essential travellers are defined under the following criteria:
1. National and State Security and Governance
a. Any Government senior official who in the carriage of his or her duties is responsible for the safety of the Nation or State against threats such as terrorism, war, or espionage, and is required to be present in Tasmania for such purposes;
b. Active Military personnel required to be on duty in Tasmania while in Tasmania; and
c. A member of the Commonwealth parliament who is ordinarily resident in Tasmania.
2. Health Services
a. A clinician in relation to health who is ordinarily resident in Tasmania and who is requested by the Secretary of the Department of Health, or his or her delegate, to return to Tasmania to present for duty in Tasmania.
b. A clinician in relation to health who is requested by the Secretary of the Department of Health, or his or her delegate, to present for duty in Tasmania to perform, during the period in which the person will be present in Tasmania, duties unable to be appropriately performed by a person ordinarily resident in Tasmania.
3. Transport, freight and logistics
a. Any person who in the carriage of his or her duties is responsible for provision of transport or freight and logistics into, within and out of Tasmania; and
b. Flight Crew and ship crew, for the limited period of delivery of persons, freight or logistics into, within and out of Tasmania, and for no other purpose.
4. Specialist skills critical to maintaining key industries or businesses
a. Any specialists required for industry or business continuity and maintenance of competitive operations where the appropriate skills are not available in Tasmania, where the service is time-critical and where the provision of the service requires that the person be physically present in Tasmania.
b. Any person who, in the carriage of his or her duties, is responsible, while in Tasmania, for critical maintenance or repair of infrastructure critical to Tasmania;
c. Any person travelling from Antarctica directly to Tasmania.
5. An emergency service worker
a. A paramedic, or an officer of Ambulance Tasmania within the meaning of the Ambulance Service Act 1982, who is returning to Tasmania as soon as practicable after providing medical transport to a patient or who is returning to Tasmania while providing medical transport to a person;
b. A paramedic, or an officer of Ambulance Tasmania within the meaning of the Ambulance Service Act 1982, who is ordinarily resident in Tasmania and who is requested by the Commissioner of Ambulance Services, or his or her delegate, to return to Tasmania to present for duty in Tasmania.
6. Any other person, or class of persons, as exempted by the Secretary Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.
a. Any other person, or member of a class of persons, in relation to whom, in the opinion of the Secretary DPIPWE, self-quarantine would lead to an unusual, undeserved or disproportionate hardship; and
b. Any other person, or member of a class of persons, who, in the opinion of the Secretary DPIPWE, is essential for the proper functioning of Tasmania
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OTHER EXEMPTIONS
There are some other circumstances in which an exemption from the need to quarantine can be sought.
Each application for exemption will be assessed individually on its merits.
Reasons for seeking an exemption may include compassionate grounds e.g. visiting a terminally ill relative or medical grounds e.g. interstate travel for essential medical treatment.
If you wish to seek an exemption on these or other grounds you must complete an application form.
If your application has not been assessed and approved by the time you arrive in Tasmania you must begin the mandatory 14 days of quarantine until your application has been approved.
Please note: Being exempt from the need to quarantine for 14 days does not make visitors exempt from following other directions to limit the spread of coronavirus.
All visitors must exercise a high degree of caution and practice social distancing measures whilst in Tasmania to conduct their essential business.
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