There's a lot of discussion about 'Freedom Days', but what does
this mean for you in your state, and can you start making plans for
Christmas?
It appears that in most cases those wishing to travel interstate
and reconnect with family for may be able to do so.
The ACT has released its
'Pathway Forward', which eased further last
Friday, 29 October.
From 1 November, interstate travel will recommence, and from 26
November current restrictions will ease further.
In NSW, restrictions have
already been eased for the fully vaccinated. From
1 December, restrictions will ease for all people in the state,
whether vaccinated or not.
Travel restrictions - currently only for Victoria and for people
from Sydney wanting to visit regional NSW - will lift from 1
November.
International borders will be opening as well for NSW and
Victoria.
While not many restrictions are in place at the moment,
the NT has announced that conditions won't be
changing significantly until it hits its
80% Vaccination Target.
At that time there will be different quarantine rules for
travellers, depending on their state's colour category. NSW,
the ACT, and Victoria are currently listed as red
categories.
Queensland has released a
COVID-19 Vaccination Plan to Unite Families, which currently
does not expect to open borders until around 19 November (and a
vaccination rate of 70%), and then will require fully vaccinated
visitors from 'declared hotspots' to quarantine for 14
days.
From late December, when the Government expects to be 80%
vaccinated, the quarantine requirement will be dropped.
South Australia is on level 1 restrictions, but
borders are still tightly controlled. Its
Covid-Ready Plan indicates that it expects to open up borders
to fully-vaccinated people around 23 November when it anticipates
that locals are 80% vaccinated.
Tasmania has
announced its plan to reopen borders to fully vaccinated
travellers on December 15, when it is expected to reach its 90%
target.
From that date, anyone who is fully vaccinated and has returned
a negative test within 72 hours of travel will be allowed to enter
the state.
Victoria is now
allowing travel for people from Metropolitan Melbourne into the
regions, now that it has hit 80%.
For interstate travellers,
travel has reopened with permits, but people from an orange
zone - Greater Sydney and the ACT - will have to comply with
additional requirements. Unvaccinated people from an orange
zone will still have to isolate and get tested.
The only notable exception at this time
is WA, where Premier Mark McGowan has said
that the state may keep its border closed to jurisdictions that are
planning to ease border restrictions in time for Christmas.
Travel is currently allowed from NT, Queensland, SA, Tasmania,
with some restrictions for people from the ACT and NSW and Victoria
still classified as 'extreme risk'.
No indication has been given as to when everything will open up,
but Perth radio 6PR has apparently reported that it won't reopen to
the whole country until 1 February, 2022.