Corporate travel easing?

BUSINESS travellers could be exempted from strict quarantine requirements, under a plan being considered by the Department of Home Affairs to help the industry safely restart operations.

Flagged yesterday by News Corp, the proposal is understood to be a counterpart to Singapore’s planned “green lanes” (TD 01 Jun) which would also potentially involve bilateral agreements with other destinations such as Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.

Halving the mandatory quarantine period to seven days is another option being considered.

It’s still early days, with any such relaxation requiring the assent of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which has been advising the Government throughout the coronacrisis.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also expressed reservations about the proposal, noting that with just a couple of exceptions, every COVID-19 case in the state in the last two to three weeks had been detected in travellers returning from overseas while in hotel quarantine.

The Government is also believed to be working hard on proposals which would allow international students to return, with Health Minister Greg Hunt telling the ABC that two pathways were being explored for the resumption of overseas travel, which is currently banned until 17 Sep at the earliest.

“One is to use our quarantine system with international students and appropriately with people who are delivering international benefit, whether that’s in business or other areas.

“Secondly is where we have a safe relationship with another country, and New Zealand is at the top of the list, having a nonquarantine approach which will open up borders.”