South Australia urges so-called safe states to open up to get families back together

Premier Steven Marshall says South Australia has focused on health advice over politics. But he has suggested other states may not be doing the same as he urges so-called safe states to open borders.

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So-called safe states are jeopardising the mental health of South Australian families who are being kept away from their loved ones, Premier Steven Marshall says.

Mr Marshall has taken a direct swipe at WA and Tasmania on the eve of national cabinet considering ways to lift border bans, amid claims some states are keeping them shut for purely political reasons.

He said it was wrong that other states with low or zero new COVID-19 cases were continuing to keep their borders closed to SA and he urged them to adopt a nationally consistent approach.

“We are not playing politics at all here in South Australia … we have always listened to the experts and acted swiftly to implement the expert advice,” Mr Marshall said.

Premier Steven Marshall: “We are disappointed that Western Australians and Tasmanians can come into South Australia but, to date, we have not been able to go into their states.” Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

“We have opened up to Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania and we are constantly considering the arrangements with the ACT and NSW and, as soon as we are advised that it is safe to change those border arrangements, we will do it.

“We are disappointed that Western Australians and Tasmanians can come into South Australia but, to date, we have not been able to go into their states. Many South Australians are dislocated from their families due to those states’ border restrictions… it would be great to see those borders lifted for SA.

“We understand the very heavy toll this has on business but also on family dislocation.

“Many people could live with it for weeks or months but now some states are saying they’re not going to be open to South Australians until December and that is a body blow for many South Australians and I really feel for them at this time.”

Mr Marshall’s call comes at a time when the State Government is under fire for hard restrictions on the Victorian border, which is significantly affecting rural towns and people needing to cross between both states.

Premiers from Queensland, Western Australia and the NT, in particular, have been accused of keeping their borders shut to other COVID-19-safe states and territories for political reasons ahead of upcoming state elections.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham issued a plea for other states to adopt SA’s approach.

“Blanket approaches continue to harm our tourism industry, and I urge states and territories to consider adopting a similar approach to what we have seen here in SA, where there has been a willingness to open up to other states who have had similar success in suppressing the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and premiers will begin to hammer out a new set of high level principles and guidelines to govern border closures at today’s meeting.

This could include a formula to lift borders after 28 safe days.

It comes after calls from Qantas boss Alan Joyce and the Australian Tourism Industry Council for states and territories to adopt clearer national guidelines.

Mr Joyce, who has written to Mr Marshall with a raft of proposals that the Premier said would be considered, criticised border closures between states with no cases as “more politically driven” than “medically or scientifically based”, as he announced on Thursday that Qantas recorded a $1.9bn loss for 2020 due to coronavirus.

“We’re not saying open the borders blankly” he said.

“We’re saying, ‘let’s have the rules to say what would you have to see in order for those borders to be open’.”

National cabinet also will discuss Australia’s vaccine strategy and plans to bring in seasonal workers from overseas to pick fruit and vegetables, after concerns farmers would not be able to get enough Australian workers.

Originally published as South Australia urges so-called safe states to open up to get families back together