Coronavirus flight rules: Seasonal workers may be exempt from pre-flight test
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made special mention of seasonal farm workers in his announcement of new pre-flight test rules for overseas arrivals, offering an alternative if necessary.
TRAVELLERS to Australia must return a negative COVID-19 test result prior to departure to Australia, under new flight rules revealed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison today.
But Mr Morrison has confirmed there will be exemptions when it comes to some countries and bringing in much-needed seasonal farm workers to Australia.
“There will be exemptions in extenuating circumstances and this could include for seasonal workers from amber risk countries where there is limited access to testing, with mitigation of testing on arrival in Australia,” he said.
“In the Pacific where this applies this is not presently an issue but where we can put those mitigations in place … people will be aware of challenges in the ag sector, particularly in the harvest, in the stone-fruit industry, we need to have tailored responses when it comes to applying this.”
Millions of dollars’ worth of fruit and vegetables in Australia has already gone to waste as growers grapple with a labour shortage.
It is estimated crop losses across Australia have topped $38 million, figures from the National Lost Crop register show.
The announcement of the pre-flight test measure came after a national cabinet meeting where leaders also agreed to mandatory mask wearing on all domestic flights and at airports in Australia, excluding children 12 and under and those with other accepted exemptions.
Mr Morrison said passengers must also wear masks on international flights and should wear them at international airports.
The new rules are in an effort to curb the spread of a highly contagious new strain of the coronavirus, after a case was diagnosed in Queensland forcing Brisbane into a three-day lockdown.
It comes just a day after Mr Morrison unveiled the country’s national vaccine rollout strategy.
Meat processing workers will be among those Australians to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase.
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