Border controls to continue keeping Tasmanians safe after we reopen

The health and safety of Tasmanians remains our number one priority as we continue to draw closer to reopening on December 15.

As we have said, we will not turn back from this date and so my message to every eligible Tasmanian over the age of 12 is if you’re not vaccinated, don’t wait - make an appointment today and get it done as soon as you can.

From December 15, anyone will be able to enter Tasmania from anywhere

within Australia, subject to being fully vaccinated (12 years and over) and for those from high-risk areas, having a negative test result within 72 hours of travel.

Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, Labor and the Greens are already choosing to play politics with this, so I want to clearly outline the important controls we will have in place to ensure compliance.

Anyone coming to Tasmania will need to apply through an updated version of the TAS E-travel and G2G system currently in place. They will need to provide a declaration that they are fully vaccinated, and, if you’re from a high-risk State or area, you will need to have had a test 72 hours prior to travel.

There will be a series of check points to ensure people are meeting the requirements, including:

• Airlines to initially provide guidance at ticket purchase to ensure you are meeting the travel criteria to come to Tasmania, or if leaving the state to travel elsewhere;
• When you check in for your flight with the airline, you will be asked to confirm that you have met the criteria to travel to Tasmania;
• When travelling through interstate airports, our biosecurity staff and security will provide reminders of requirements prior to travel. As we draw closer to reopening, we will be putting on additional staff and contractors to ensure this occurs;
• On arrival into Tasmania, every person coming through the airport entry gates will need to display to biosecurity officers their evidence that they have met the rules regarding double vaccination, and if from a high-risk jurisdiction, that they have had the pre-travel test;
• Spot checks will also occur to further check identities and information in more detail, with strong penalties for non-compliance to apply, including on the spot fines of $1557 for not being vaccinated and $1557 if not pre-tested if that’s a requirement.  You could also face being arrested, summonsed and charged with a penalty of up to $17,000 or 6 months in prison; and
• If you travel fully vaccinated but without a pre-test, if that is required, you will be ordered to quarantine, until a negative test is produced, and if you’re not vaccinated – you will be placed into Government quarantine or sent home.

We are also finalising our plan on how we will manage positive cases, and close or casual contacts and what this means for businesses and other settings, and I will provide more detail on this next week.

My message to Tasmanians remains – the borders are opening – please get vaccinated.