Australian state border restrictions

[Must...Fly!]

It's utterly pathetic and it needs to be called out. It keeps happening, and governments keep taking even harsher lines against residents returning to their homes. The fact the Commonwealth and indeed the courts apparently have no recourse against this ridiculous injustice is so sad for the country.

 

[MARTINE]

As someone who despite living in Melb does not watch football I went onto the AFL site out of interest to review what is documented about Covid

I found:
- range of topics re safety/tipping/diversity/reconciliation and lastly AFL Women (and it was not alph order) but none specific to Covid (all fine)
- I had to search for Covid specifically to find anything ..and last topics about how disruptive it was/keeping players safe in hubs etc
- AFL policies covered (appropriately) safety for children, mental health wellbeing and diversity
- latest news results/injuries/drafts/women in football (all fine)

… found it interesting there was no specific Covid related information, dedicated site on page especially given the huge social/financial impacts , accomodations made for - and opportunity to message - by the AFL
… just an observation not a criticism…

I had posted this on a different thread
Not sure about NRL …but I found it ‘interesting’ there was no reciprocity in respect of the social contract with respect to freedoms afforded to footballers nor using this massive platform to promote vaccination etc.
FYI

 

[Happy Dude]

Presumably the same level of vitriol will be directed at Cricket Australia and the QLD premier as the interstate and international based women cricketers commence their quarantine in QLD ahead of the upcoming "important" series.

You're not a sportsman or a hanger-on? NO exemption for you!!

 

[hydrabyss]

Based on the best health advice no doubt.

Well we don't want a bunch of players running around not being able to control their urges.

 

[ellen10]

I rarely comment, but it saddens me greatly reading and hearing about everyday Australians, not given any compassion or medical support from their own states and in the next breath we hear of footballers, cricketers, movie stars, their families, entourages etc given exemptions because of only one thing money!! Money talks.

Anastacia, when questioned in regard to these compassion requests, always defaults to the line "its the decision of the CMO"!
For goodness sake stop hiding behind your CMO when you are the Premier and of course you would be having a say and impact on these decisions. Own up to it!

I am also equally surprised that she seems to get away with these statements time after time. Are the Queensland media that much kinder?

 

[drron]

I rarely comment, but it saddens me greatly reading and hearing about everyday Australians, not given any compassion or medical support from their own states and in the next breath we hear of footballers, cricketers, movie stars, their families, entourages etc given exemptions because of only one thing money!! Money talks.

Anastacia, when questioned in regard to these compassion requests, always defaults to the line "its the decision of the CMO"!
For goodness sake stop hiding behind your CMO when you are the Premier and of course you would be having a say and impact on these decisions. Own up to it!

I am also equally surprised that she seems to get away with these statements time after time. Are the Queensland media that much kinder?

The chooks are being fed.That is all that counts with the QLD media.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I don't know the full story but my goodness this one tugs at the heart strings. What happened to us as a nation? It's just so despicable, but if she was married to a rugby player..?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1432460095028400135

 

[jrfsp]

The major sporting codes have long been above the law in this country well before the pandemic so its no surprise that border restrictions dont apply to them and their families.

The only way for that to change is for people to cancel their memberships and stop buying tickets to the games - unfortunately it wont happen.

 

[mviy]

Well the AFL has announced that the footy Grand Final will be played in Perth this year. I guess WA will let the footy players in.

Though later in the year when vaccination targets are reached things could flip so that the states that are open to interstate and international travel get sport and those that require two weeks hotel quarantine for international sporting stars miss out.

 

[MARTINE]

Well the AFL has announced that the footy Grand Final will be played in Perth this year. I guess WA will let the footy players in.

Though later in the year when vaccination targets are reached things could flip so that the states that are open to interstate and international travel get sport and those that require two weeks hotel quarantine for international sporting stars miss out.

Let’s hope this is not a superspreader event…truly appalling and inconsistent optics all round

 

[Seat0B]

Let’s hope this is not a superspreader event…truly appalling and inconsistent optics all round

I am so enraged by all the footy privileges that I actually hope it is a superspreader event. I know I'm a terrible flawed person, so don't feel obliged to point that out to me. Just bloody sick of it all.

 

[antycbr]

Well the AFL has announced that the footy Grand Final will be played in Perth this year. I guess WA will let the footy players in.

Though later in the year when vaccination targets are reached things could flip so that the states that are open to interstate and international travel get sport and those that require two weeks hotel quarantine for international sporting stars miss out.

WA have already lost the Womens Ashes as that's been moved to Brisbane.

 

[drron]

Well the AFL has announced that the footy Grand Final will be played in Perth this year. I guess WA will let the footy players in.

Though later in the year when vaccination targets are reached things could flip so that the states that are open to interstate and international travel get sport and those that require two weeks hotel quarantine for international sporting stars miss out.

No.Make it those States who require interstate travellers do 2 weeks of HQ should miss out on all sporting events that require travel.

 

[OZDUCK]

Well the AFL has announced that the footy Grand Final will be played in Perth this year. I guess WA will let the footy players in.

Though later in the year when vaccination targets are reached things could flip so that the states that are open to interstate and international travel get sport and those that require two weeks hotel quarantine for international sporting stars miss out.

As far as I am aware, and it was stated by the Government that this would be the case, the wives and so forth have not been offered any special permission to fly into Perth for the GF. Those in NSW will not be flying in on any special charter.

If the players and team members have been in SA or Tasmania for 14 days there will be no quarantine required as per any other member of the public. The players and officials that have not been in Tasmania or South Australia for 14 days are going into quarantine when they come to Perth. The AFL apparently has a scheduled bye which will allow players to comply with the quarantine rules. Also as far as I am aware none of the attendees will have been in NSW in the past 14 days. When the Eagles returned to Perth from their last game 2 weeks ago in Brisbane they went into 14 days quarantine as per normal.

To my recall the same conditions were offered to the AFL last year but they refused to accept them and Perth was basically never a realistic chance to hold it in 2021. This year the attendance caps in other states means that the AFL was left with little alternative but to accept the terms offered.

"Interstate fans or VIPs who would want to attend either the preliminary finals or grand final in Perth could potentially fly straight to WA if they are not required quarantine or via Tasmania, SA or the NT once they had spent 14 days out of a COVID hotspot."

For a more detailed explanation see below.

How a Perth grand final will work (and can Bruce and Dennis return?)

With South Australians welcome back into Western Australia merely hours after AFL boss Gil McLachlan said Perth would host the 2021 Grand Final if Melbourne couldn’t, the way is paved for a dream pairing to team up one last time.

www.theage.com.au

 

[SydneySwan]

The GWS team flew to Perth today. They have been in Vic and Tas for the last 2 weeks. They are playing Geelong in Perth this Friday. I don’t see how this squares with the WA entry / quarantine requirements.

 

[pagingjoan]

Yes, the linked article is a little dated.

 

[OZDUCK]

The GWS team flew to Perth today. They have been in Vic and Tas for the last 2 weeks. They are playing Geelong in Perth this Friday. I don’t see how this squares with the WA entry / quarantine requirements.

I am no spokesman for the WA state Govt. but my understanding is that they those teams remain in quarantine and are only 'allowed out' for the games and travel in team buses with no contact with members of the public. I think this has been the way it has happened for the last 2 seasons. The local CHO has never told members of the public not to touch footballs that go into the crowd. If I see anything that is more illuminating I will post it.

paginjoan as regards the article I posted I couldn't find a newer one that went into any great detail of how it would work. The latest Govt. Press Release only says -

"Following the AFL's requests, the State Government has worked with the AFL on a proposal to host the Grand Final at Optus Stadium which prioritises community safety and adheres to advice of the Chief Health Officer.

The State Emergency Coordinator and Chief Health Officer will ensure that the AFL follows strict health protocols and arrangements in place, as it has been for the past year with AFL games."

 

[MelMel]

The GWS team flew to Perth today. They have been in Vic and Tas for the last 2 weeks. They are playing Geelong in Perth this Friday. I don’t see how this squares with the WA entry / quarantine requirements.

https://www.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-08/Approval-for-AFL-Team-GWS-Giants-Football-Club.pdf

Seems like it’s all been approved under the Emergency Act since last year. They are allowed to train and play whilst still quarantining - specifically pages 3 and 4. As mentioned by OzDuck

 

[Danger]

I'm not a fan of sports players skipping quarantine but at the end of the day, I support it. Sport is a significant part of the Australian culture and these national sports, like rugby and AFL, are a big part of many Australians' lives. When you're stuck in lockdown for four months of the year (like Victoria was last year; maybe it will break that record this year), unable to visit friends or family, go to the gym, watch a movie, head out to dinner etc., putting your feet up and watching the game you love on TV for two or three hours a week is probably pure bliss. On top of that, there are significant economic multiplier benefits: ticket sellers, food vendors, cleaners, plumbers, electricians, taxi drivers ...

 

[SydneySwan]

When the Eagles returned to Perth from their last game 2 weeks ago in Brisbane they went into 14 days quarantine as per normal.

This is the line that inspired my post. I read this as normal HQ that us mere mortals are forced to undertake (assuming we would be allowed in to do that) but presumably you meant normal footy player HQ where they could train, etc.