Explained: The state of Tasmania’s borders

Premier Peter Gutwein is not ready to reinstate Tasmania’s “moat” but the state has closed its border to a number of states and territories. FULL EXPOSURE LIST + BORDER RULES >>

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TASMANIA’S Premier is not ready to reinstate Tasmania’s “moat” but the state has closed its border to Perth residents, visitors from parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory and could lock out all New South Wales visitors if there is regional community transmission.

Residents of South East Queensland were plunged into a three-day lockdown at 6pm Tuesday night.

Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountain and Woolongong are in lockdown and now Perth and the Peel region which includes Mandurah.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said 13 Local Government Areas in Queensland would be declared high-risk from 6pm Tuesday.

These areas are the City of Brisbane, the City of Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay Region, Redland City, Sunshine Coast Region, Shire of Noosa, Somerset Region, Lockyer Valley Region, Scenic Rim Region, City of Gold Coast, City of Townsville (including Magnetic Island) and the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island.

29-06-2021 Covid Hotspots, Return passengers at Brisbane International airport arriving from Papua New Guinea are processed and about to go into hotel quarantine. PICTURE: Brad Fleet.

Anyone who has been in any of the LGAs since June 19 will not be permitted to enter Tasmania unless they are approved as an essential traveller by the Deputy State Controller.

They must also check the list of high-risk premises at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert and self-isolate and contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 if they are impacted.

Those who have been in the Perth or Peel Regions since June 22 are also banned from coming to Tasmania unless approved.

At the same time, Tasmanians have been told to assess their need to travel interstate.

Peter Gutwein said he did not expect Tasmania to be immune to the developing crisis saying this State would likely record a fresh Covid-19 case.

“At some stage we will get another case, that is a given,” Mr Gutwein said.

But Mr Gutwein, who introduced the nation’s toughest border restriction during the pandemic last year, has stopped short of slamming Tasmania’s border shut to all interstate travellers.

People from South Australia, parts of Queensland, regional WA and regional NSW can still fly in.

Hobart Airport Arrivals signage. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Mr Gutwein said Tasmania was watching the situation in all states but was particularly concerned about potential community transmission in regional NSW and the situation with FIFO miners returning to Queensland from the Northern Territory.

“If the situation gets worse we will take advise and take action,” he said.

Mr Gutwein also heralded that Tasmanians could soon be required to wear masks at outside events as the latest national Covid-19 outbreak continues to unfold.

Meanwhile, three fly-in, fly-out miners who arrived in Tasmania from a gold project in the Northern Territory – which is under lockdown – have returned their first negative tests.

The workers, who have been in quarantine since arriving last week, will be tested again before they are released from isolation.

WHO CAN’T COME TO TASMANIA:

High-risk declarations remain in place for Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong in New South Wales, as well as Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield in the Northern Territory.

People from high-risk areas in WA -— Greater Perth and the Peel region — are also banned from coming to Tasmania unless approved as an essential traveller.

There are currently several hundred premises declared as high-risk in NSW, Queensland, WA, the NT and Victoria

WHO CAN:

Most Victorians, residents of regional NSW, parts of Queensland outside the high-risk zone, South Australians and West Australians outside the Perth and Peel regions.

Travel registration changes for Tasmania bound travellers – Monday, June 28

Travellers heading to Tasmania will be required to register through Tas e-Travel no more than one day before their journey to ensure their movements are as up to date as possible.

Previously, travellers could register up to three days before travel, but that’s changed as high risk locations continue to be identified in some jurisdictions.

Travellers will be required to declare if they have been to high risk areas as part of their registration.

Those who have only been to low-risk areas in the 14 days prior to arrival in Tasmania are not required to quarantine and can also transit directly through medium-risk and high-risk areas if they comply with specific conditions.

Those who have been in medium or high risk areas must apply for essential traveller status through the G2G PASS system, which must be made at least three business days before arrival.

Following a crisis national cabinet meeting on Monday night, Scott Morrison has also announced the Covid-19 jab will be compulsory for aged care workers, three months after all staff were supposed to be vaccinated.

The Prime Minister and state leaders also agreed on new rules to strengthen the quarantine system after a series of breaches triggered outbreaks across several states and put the nation on high alert.

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Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Northern Territory

Northern Territory (NT) remains low-risk apart from the Local Government Area of Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield.

A number of premises in NT have been declared high-risk (Level 1) as they were visited by people with COVID-19.

Travellers who have spent time at a high-risk (Level 1) location at the specified dates and times listed below will not be permitted to travel to Tasmania.

Travellers currently in Tasmania who have been in NT on or since 18 June are asked to check the below list of high-risk premises regularly. Anyone who has spent time at any of the sites at the specified dates and times must self-isolate immediately and call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 for further advice.

Full list of NT high-risk premises here.

New South Wales

New South Wales remains low-risk apart from:

The Local Government Areas (Level 2) listed below and as shown in this map

If you arrived in Tasmania as a low risk traveller between 4pm 21 June and 4pm 26 June 2021 and had been in any of the listed NSW high-risk LGAs in the 14 days before arrival – but you are not subject to quarantine via a G2G pass and have not been in a high-risk premise at the specified time and date – you should isolate immediately and call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange a COVID-19 test. You need to be tested at least five days after you left the high risk LGA and will be able to leave isolation if you receive a negative result.

Any person who arrived in Tasmania, who is subject to quarantine under the Emergency Management Act 2006 (G2G pass) and returns a negative test, must remain in quarantine and comply with the conditions in their G2G pass.

Hobart International Airport signage. Picture: Dark Mofo/Rosie Hastie

Queensland

A number of high-risk premises have been identified by Queensland authorities in relation to confirmed COVID-19 cases in that state.

The following local government areas of Queensland are high-risk:

• Brisbane
• Gold Coast
• Ipswich
• Lockyer Valley
• Noosa
• Logan City
• Moreton Bay
• Redlands
• Sunshine Coast
• Somerset
• Scenic Rim
• Townsville City (including Magnetic Island)
• Palm Island Aboriginal Shire

Anyone who has spent time in a high-risk LGA (Level 2) – as shown above – including returning Tasmanians – on or since 19 June will not be permitted to enter Tasmania unless approved as an Essential Traveller.

Travellers who arrived in Tasmania from Queensland before 6pm Tuesday 29 June are asked to monitor themselves and call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to book a test if they develop even mild cold or flu-like symptoms.

Arrivals to Hobart screened at Hobart Airport after Tasmania closed it's border with Victoria. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Western Australia

A number of high-risk premises have been identified by Western Australian authorities in relation to confirmed COVID-19 cases in that state.

The Perth and Peel regions of WA have been classified as high risk by Tasmanian health authorities, with anyone having spent time in those regions not being permitted to enter Tasmania unless approved as an essential traveller.

Anyone in Tasmania who has recently been in WA should check www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert for a list of these premises.

If anyone has been at any of these high-risk premises at the specified dates and times, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.

Anyone intending to travel to Tasmania who has been at any of these listed premises at the specified dates and times will not be permitted to enter the State.

Victoria

A number of premises in Victoria have been declared high-risk (Level 1) as they were visited by people with COVID-19.

Travellers who have spent time at a high-risk (Level 1) location at the specified dates and times listed below will not be permitted to enter Tasmania.

Travellers currently in Tasmania who have been in VIC on or since 12 May are asked to check the list of high-risk premises regularly. Anyone who has spent time at any of the sites at the specified dates and times must self-isolate immediately and call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 for further advice.

High-risk declarations – New Zealand

A number of premises in New Zealand have been declared high-risk (Level 1) as they were visited by people with COVID-19.

Travellers who have spent time at a high-risk (Level 1) location at the specified dates and times listed below will not be permitted to travel to Tasmania.

Full list of NZ high risk premises here.

Visit www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au for the latest Tasmanian information.