Australia to Reduce Incoming Int. Passenger Capacity from July 2021

[mviy]

That change has already been made though. So I suspect what’s being discussed today is probably something else to do with arrivals.

 

[dajop]

There is a petition calling on the government to reverse the caps: e-petitions – Parliament of Australia

Looks like the petition now has around 1260 signatures. Dwarfed by the petition that requests the government "say NO to digital passports and ban Vaccine Passports/Certificates", which has almost 40,000 signatures.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Looks like the petition now has around 1260 signatures. Dwarfed by the petition that requests the government "say NO to digital passports and ban Vaccine Passports/Certificates", which has almost 40,000 signatures.

The stated reason for the petition doesn't seem to make sense, grammatically. I agree with some of their suggestions... like publishing repatriation flight timetables. But some things are a little more murky... under their proposals an Aussie doctor going to a liposuction 'conference' in Hawaii gets priority over a desperately needed fruit picker?

 

[louie-m]

Yes I saw that bit, but there is no way all the bits of the petition are going to be acted on. The main thrust - which is reinstating the caps and maybe home quarantine are the realistic outcome.

TBH I think they have shot themselves in the foot by including too many things. If they had stuck to the two points you raise I suspect they would have got more support.

 

[louie-m]

I agree with that, whether an Australian citizen or PR who is not currently residing in Australia, or any one who is non-citizen/non-PR but has a home and the right to live in Australia should have the right to return. Returning the caps to the previous levels would go a long way towards that.

But I've read these comments about overseas Aussies returning for "holidays" or multiple holidays a number of times on AFF. I suspect very few are returning just for holidays, so difficult getting flights, so expensive getting flights, and then there's the border closures and lockdown threat within Australia. There's a lot of bother for holidays.

Yes I'm sure you are right that there aren't many overseas Aussies returning purely for holidays. I was just trying to illustrate the principle. Perhaps I should have used myself as an example. I'm planning on making an application for exemption to travel shortly. If I succeed I will be living with my parents in the UK whilst I am away. I'm not working at the moment and I have sufficient funds to stay away indefinitely if I choose. Do I think me having an Australian passport should mean I automatically take precedence over say a nurse on a temporary visa who has had to make an emergency trip home to care for his/her parents with Covid or attend their funeral? No, I don't.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Given the roughly 1% breach rate PER DAY of people who are supposed to be in home quarantine - it makes arguing for home quarantine, unless with ankle bracelets & daily random checks, hard to support. Even then there would be those who either 'knew better' or 'didn't think I was infected'.

The one major hole/fault/issue with home quarantine per se is that it cannot be used in any multi-unit dwellings - so not unit blocks etc. Equally in shared accomodation with aging parents or disability impacted people - would you want to risk infecting them?

The cost to-date of just this Sydney lockdown would have been sufficient to fully fund building more than 6,000 bed dedicated quarantine facilities & their running costs for 3 years. This gem came from UNSW - who knew there are so many online free-to-use quantity surveyor type cost calculators?

I can virtually guarantee home quarantine for fully vaccinated people will come - probably with a tracking app on the phone, like South Korea. Canberra has successfully allowed over 2,000 people to home quarantine. Don’t know when - probably next year, although we can press for earlier.

 

[RAM]

I can virtually guarantee home quarantine for fully vaccinated people will come - probably with a tracking app on the phone, like South Korea. Canberra has successfully allowed over 2,000 people to home quarantine. Don’t know when - probably next year, although we can press for earlier.

As posted earlier having a tracking app on a phone is no deterent as 'cheating spouses' just leave the phone home or at their job and auto forward all calls to a 2nd mobile.

Must be an ankle bracelet to cover the 2nd phone trick.

 

[Flying mermaid]

As posted earlier having a tracking app on a phone is no deterent as 'cheating spouses' just leave the phone home or at their job and auto forward all calls to a 2nd mobile.

Must be an ankle bracelet to cover the 2nd phone trick.

Spot checks and massive fines if they aren’t there

 

[drron]

Yes some random visits.Doesn't have to be police.If the person meant to be in isolation is not there then severe penalties.I suggest what Taiwan did -$US 50000 fine plus possible 6 months in jail.Make sure the judgement is widely publicised and much less likely to occur again even if they use RAM's Information.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Yes some random visits.Doesn't have to be police.If the person meant to be in isolation is not there then severe penalties.I suggest what Taiwan did -$US 50000 fine plus possible 6 months in jail.Make sure the judgement is widely publicised and much less likely to occur again even if they use RAM's Information.

This is a good thought and I'd love to support it. But it's not how things works in Australia. Whoever is busted will plead ignorance or a tough upbringing and there will be sympathy if ACA agree.

 

[bcworld]

As posted earlier having a tracking app on a phone is no deterent as 'cheating spouses' just leave the phone home or at their job and auto forward all calls to a 2nd mobile.

Must be an ankle bracelet to cover the 2nd phone trick.

Still doesn't stop anyone having visitors while in home quarantine.

 

[samh004]

Spot checks and massive fines if they aren’t there

Would rather they implement varying fines based on your net worth first, similar to some European countries, so those that do know better but can usually get away with the fines as they mean nothing to them, aren't as easily able to pay them off. A $2000 - $4000 fine for a regular person breaching the rules should be deterrent enough, but wouldn't be for someone moderately to very wealthy. However, allowing for the fine amount to increase with net worth would hit them just as severely as a $2000 - $4000 fine does to the common person. It could suddenly be $20,000+ or far more. For instance, the CEO who took his boat to QLD for the rugby probably didn't blink at his fine, but had it taken into account his net worth, it could have been a couple hundred thousand dollars, much more of a sting!

Anyway, I'm off topic.

My father is due to fly out in the coming days from Hong Kong. Booked in business class and is fully vaccinated, but not expecting any special treatment. Wonder if he'll actually even make it into the country though!

 

[gourevib]

Well, she didn't have to cut the numbers by 50%. Previously she didn't when other states did - as with any politician do not listen to what they say but watch what they do.

Arrival caps are ultimately set by the Federal Government

 

[bcworld]

Arrival caps are ultimately set by the Federal Government

Ultimately....but that is being informed by the state premiers.

So some state premiers believe that there is too much risk associated with HQ.

Their argument would be that if NSW is allowed to continue to accept x,000 per week that that is more risk.

And further that breaches in NSW can leak to the rest of the country (as has happened...and could also happen from other states into NSW).

So NSW has been made to accept a lower intake.

 

[drron]

Still doesn't stop anyone having visitors while in home quarantine.

Though some in HQ have managed to have visitors or grant themselves leave to party.
nothing is going to be perfect.

 

[RAM]

Still doesn't stop anyone having visitors while in home quarantine.

Correct, which is why I am not expecting it until early 2022 at best.

I am not optimistic for home quarantine in NSW given our "Clayton's" approach to lockdowns.

I am waiting for some cartoonist to come up with scratch marks in the ground leading to the edge of a precipice next to a sign "Beware Decision Drop", and Gladys hanging on by her nails over the edge with beads of sweat.

As we've seen with the removalist (unvaccinated?) it takes only one Covidiot to ruin it for millions of others. The evidence on domestic travellers home quarantining (Victorian experience) seems to be around 1% of those checked per day are floating the requirements. I have not heard any questions asked about whether they're checking to see if they've been having visitors.

NSW Media today were very, very polite. Or did I miss a question about the NSW Deputy Premier's daughter & her two breaches? Though she didn't claim lawn mowing as her excuse.

 

[gourevib]

Yes I'm sure you are right that there aren't many overseas Aussies returning purely for holidays. I was just trying to illustrate the principle. Perhaps I should have used myself as an example. I'm planning on making an application for exemption to travel shortly. If I succeed I will be living with my parents in the UK whilst I am away. I'm not working at the moment and I have sufficient funds to stay away indefinitely if I choose. Do I think me having an Australian passport should mean I automatically take precedence over say a nurse on a temporary visa who has had to make an emergency trip home to care for his/her parents with Covid or attend their funeral? No, I don't.

Exceptions can be made for essential workers. Otherwise it is only natural for the Australian government to prioritize Australian citizens, who elected them and to whom they ultimately answer.

 

[Seat0B]

There is a petition calling on the government to reverse the caps: e-petitions – Parliament of Australia

Signed

 

[mviy]

Nearly 3000 signatures, not bad. They did put too much in the petition but it is getting a lot of support even a few days in.

 

[dajop]

Meanwhile we have public advocacy with word such as “International travel needs to be drastically reduced …”

More lockdowns ahead if we don’t act quickly and decisively

We are extraordinarily vulnerable and for the next six months need to act accordingly.

www.smh.com.au