Hobart Airport chief welcomes NZ travel bubble news, says airport working hard to ensure safety

Hobart’s airport chief has welcomed the news of a New Zealand travel bubble, but said in the interim it’s working hard to ensure the airport is safe for domestic flights. LATEST >>

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A TRAVEL bubble could be in place with New Zealand as early as next year, as the state government outlines process for incoming travellers when the border reopens on October 26.

The border reopening strategy will see all travellers registered with an app, and symptomatic travellers quarantined and tested.

However Premier Peter Gutwein said reopening to New South Wales and Victoria is still subject to Public Health advice.

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“Our plan continues to be on October 26 we will open to the low risk jurisdictions of South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and the ACT,” he said.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation in New South Wales closely.”

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Further advice on whether Tasmania’s borders will reopen to Victoria will be provided on or before December 1, Mr Gutwein said.

The state government has launched a new Safe Borders plan which will detail all the measures taken.

“Anyone travelling to Tasmania from a low-risk jurisdiction will be required to register their travel on a new app Tas-E travel,” Mr Gutwein said.

“They will need to enter their travel details before they enter the state.”

The government’s Safe Borders plan states:

“People travelling from these (low-risk) jurisdictions will be required to register their travel a maximum of three days prior to arrival.

“Quarantine requirements will not be in place for people travelling from these jurisdictions provided they have not spent time in an Affected Region or Premises in the 14 days before arriving in Tasmania.

“Based on current public health advice, people travelling from low-risk jurisdictions from October 26 will be able to continue to transit directly though Victoria (only stopping for fuel) to Melbourne Airport or the Spirit of Tasmania terminal and not be subject to quarantine requirements that apply to that jurisdiction.”

The registration process will be available on the government’s coronavirus website from October 23.

The state’s travel bubble plans with New Zealand are also progressing with “the relevant airlines” Mr Gutwein said – who hopes the discussions will lead to Hobart Airport becoming international-flight capable again.
“I would hope we would be able to have an interim arrangement in terms of an international facility in place before January,” he said.

“My understanding is the plans that have been put forward could be stood up in eight-to-10 weeks.”

Mr Gutwein is also hopeful there would be a permanent attache of Border Force personnel at Hobart Airport, which would retain international travel moving forward.

Matt Cocker acting CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Hobart Airport said he welcomed the news and is looking forward to re-establishing pre-pandemic routes and “potential new domestic routes”.

“Hobart Airport have put measures in place to promote safe movement through our precinct. We have been working closely with government to implement Safe Border Strategies and will do everything within our power to reduce the risk of the spread of disease,” he said.

“With regard to any travel bubble that may occur, we are excited at the prospect of travel between Tasmania and New Zealand and continue to work closely with state and federal authorities to make this happen as soon as possible.”

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch has reassured the public that there have been no cases in the community diagnosed in over a month in the low-risk jurisdictions the state will reopen to in two weeks.

“We will maintain measures for those coming from affected areas,” he said.

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