‘It’s not fair’: Calls for tourist Covid tests to be scrapped

Tourist coming to Tasmania will be required to undergo expensive and invasive Covid testing which the state’s business community says will turn people away. RULES + HAVE YOUR SAY >>

TASMANIA’S business community wants the government to drop the requirement for travellers to undergo Covid testing when the state reopens its borders next month.

A Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry business summit in Launceston on Thursday called on the state “to remove the impractical requirement for COVID-19 testing that is planned to apply to arrivals to Tasmania from December 15 this year.”

Premier Peter Gutwein has announced the state’s border restrictions will be eased from December 15, but interstate travellers planning to enter Tasmania will need to be double vaccinated and will have to produce evidence of a negative Covid test conducted within 72 hours before their departure.

A Nurse with a Covid-19 test. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

TCCI CEO Michael Michael Bailey said the last 18 months had been extremely difficult for business, particularly in tourism, and requiring travellers to be tested would turn people away.

“A very clear concern came from right across industry, particularly in tourism and hospitality that the Covid testing requirement for people entering Tasmania firstly was unique in Australia, but secondly is a disincentive for people coming to our state,” he said.

“We hope that we can have that abolished and align with other states, the way that they manage people coming to their states, or at worst have the rapid-antigen test brought in as the solution.

TCCI CEO Michael Bailey speaks to the media.

“Now it seems certainly looking at our tourism industry bodies that were represented today as well as industry players that this is a great disincentive for people coming to our state.

Mr Bailey said that a major part of the deterrent would be the additional cost it would impose on would-be visitors.

“It absolutely is a huge financial disincentive. If you have a family of four people you’re looking at least $200 per test. It’s a really difficult task to ask people to do and it’s not fair.

“So what we’re saying is let’s abolish it, let’s make take advantage of a 90 per cent vaccination rates for people aged over the age of 12 and take advantage of the fact that we have a really safe place to come to.”

A government spokesman said the testing requirement was temporary.

“We expect pre-travel testing will only be in place for up to four weeks as a transitional measure, particularly from current high-risk areas,” he said.

“We have followed public health advice at every step right throughout the pandemic and while the cost of a test may deter some people from travelling, we make no apologies for prioritising the health and safety of the community as we reopen.”

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