South Australia is opening its borders to Tasmania, WA and the NT

South Australia will move early to lift COVID-19 border restrictions with WA, the NT and Tasmania from midnight.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall

The SA premier says border restrictions with WA, NT and Tasmania will be lifted at midnight. (AAP)

South Australia is lifting some COVID-19 border restrictions allowing people to travel from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania from midnight on Tuesday.

Premier Steven Marshall says the change means people from those states will no longer be required to stay in quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in SA.

He says people who recently arrived from those states and are in isolation, are also free to move into the wider community.
At this stage border restrictions related to NSW, Queensland and Victoria will be lifted on July 20.

Mr Marshall said the changes followed the continued improvement across Australia in containing the coronavirus.

He said the government had also received legal advice that what it was proposing could be implemented.
"Every premier and chief minister needs to make decisions with regards to their own legal advice," he said.

"But we've received our advice and it's pretty clear there's no reason for us to be unnecessarily detaining citizens from Western Australia, the Northern Territory or Tasmania.

"So effective from midnight tonight there will be no requirement for 14 days of self-isolation."

But WA Premier Mark McGowan hosed down talk of a potential travel bubble with SA and the NT, saying his government had received Commonwealth advice that such a move would breach the constitution.

"It's unconstitutional to pick and choose between the states, so we'd be breaking the law were we to try and do an arrangement with South Australia or the Northern Territory," he told reporters in Perth.

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
 
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
 
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store. SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments.
 
News and information is available in 63 languages at .

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Published 16 June 2020 2:46pm
Updated 16 June 2020 2:58pm



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