With a coronavirus vaccine potentially just around the corner and other nations getting a handle on their own coronavirus outbreaks, international travel is back on the table.
Speaking to reporters from Canberra today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said international travel would be discussed at National Cabinet this Friday.
“Not to the point of a decision on that, but I think a further assessment of where things are at,” Mr Morrison said.
The PM said the government was regularly looking for other countries around the world that had gained control of the pandemic in a way similar to Australia.
“We continue to hold these discussions with countries like Japan, we have had them before with Korea, specific nations of course, New Zealand has already been opened for travel into Australia without quarantine arrangements,” he said.
New Zealand is definitely on the travel bubble list.
“I think we proceed cautiously. There are countries that are doing far better than what we are seeing in Europe and the United States.
“The situation in Europe and the United States is awful. And obviously that presents great risks for people coming in from those parts of the world to Australia, but out of many parts of Asia, particularly in North Asia, places like Taiwan and I would also say provinces of China, Singapore, we, you know, are looking at what alternative arrangements could be hard to channel visitors through appropriate quarantine arrangements for low risk countries.
“That is a process other countries are doing as well. We are open to that. We have not come to a point of decision on that.”
The news comes as Victoria hit 11 days with no new coronavirus cases or deaths – a massive milestone for a state that was, just a few months ago, grappling with hundreds of daily virus cases.
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