South Australia Looks to Travel Bubbles to Open Borders

South Australia Looks to Travel Bubbles to Open Borders
Passengers check in for a Qantas flight at Adelaide Airport on April 01, 2020 in Adelaide, Australia. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
AAP
By AAP
6/5/2020
Updated:
6/5/2020

The South Australian government says it is looking at the issue of travel bubbles with Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory as a way of lifting border restrictions.

Travel bubbles with various states could form part of South Australia’s first moves to reopen its borders, Premier Steven Marshall says.

Marshall has described suggestions of travel between Western Australia and SA as “definitely an option” and says other proposals are also on the table.

“Western Australia has done extraordinarily well in terms of their fight against the coronavirus, just like we have done in South Australia,” the premier said on Friday.

“It’s up to (Premier) Mark McGowan to make his decision with regard to the border and I know that our transition committee is looking at issues like borders as we speak.

“I think that we’re in a good position with Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and maybe also Canberra.

“This is the potential for almost a first wave of lifting the border restrictions very safely and gradually.”

Marshall said he would hope the state government could announce something on border measures “very soon.”

South Australia recorded no new COVID-19 cases again on Friday and has no active infections remaining.

It has had 440 total cases including four deaths.