Will Melbourne’s COVID-19 crisis delay our reopening?

Tasmania’s border opening has been made more challenging by the deterioration of the health situation in Victoria – our nearest mainland neighbours by air and sea. But we shouldn’t be scared off.

Hobart Airport during busier times. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

The countdown is on to find out when our next step to freedom will be.

Premier Peter Gutwein is still expected to announce on Friday when border restrictions will be relaxed, a decision that has no doubt been made more challenging by the deterioration over the past few days of the health situation in Victoria – our nearest mainland neighbours by air and sea.

Their Premier Daniel Andrews was on Saturday forced to axe plans to ease Victorian restrictions again this week after a major spike in positive tests including AFL player Conor McKenna amid fears of a new wave.
The State of Emergency in Victoria was consequently extended until July 19.

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There have also been threats to lock down certain areas, a move seen here when our state’s North-West was in the grip of Tasmania’s worst outbreak.

This month Premier Gutwein extended Tasmania’s emergency declaration until July 9, less than three weeks away.

Tasmanians have faced some of the toughest restrictions, particularly on travel, compared to other states and territories, since March.

At the last hurdle, it would be detrimental to the state’s economy and Tasmanians to let what has happened to Victoria scare us off completely from a July reopening.

The risks of opening up to other states such as Victoria or even News South Wales where new cases continue to emerge cannot and should not be ignored.

But with no active cases in South Australia, the Australian Canberra Territory, the Northern Territory and with Western Australia and Queensland almost in the clear, there are new opportunities to start unlocking most of the country and resume interstate travel and business.

Tasmanians have often had to use Melbourne as an aviation trampoline to bounce on to their next destination, but exploring new direct flight options, some never seen here before, is a great opportunity to come from the pandemic.

Direct flights from Tasmania to “safe” capitals such as Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Brisbane, bypassing Melbourne, are now being discussed.

This is in addition to ongoing conversations with New Zealand and airlines about the resumption of travel across the ditch and again with direct flights.

With 350 Tasmanian jobs a week disappearing during COVID-19, according to the Tourism Industry Council, fostering new relationships with states we have not often relied on or visited predominantly before is an exciting prospect – as well as welcoming back and saying hello again to those we visit frequently.

An extra benefit to clarity on border restrictions and opening up to some states is that such moves could help trigger a return to the footy.

The AFL had hoped to reveal Rounds 6 and 7 of the fixture today as part of its staged draw release, but that has been pushed back until late this week.

They flagged playing games in Darwin, Tasmania and Canberra due to the easing of restrictions in those areas and the safer health status but nothing has been locked in.

It would be a great morale boost to see the return of the much-loved winter tradition, with crowds of up to 25 per cent capacity able to watch on at Blundstone Arena and UTAS Stadium.

At what financial cost is unclear, but to have those discussions back in the picture is a step towards getting back to experiencing the things we love after so much loss.