Highlights
- New South Wales is opening its regions for holidays for residents
- South Australia announced restrictions will be eased earlier in the state than originally planned.
- International students could be back in universities within months
New South Wales residents will be able to travel across the state for holidays in less than a fortnight under a relaxation of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced recreational regional travel within the state will be allowed again from June the first.
"Whilst we're easing restrictions we want people to enjoy the extra freedom they have however it does mean you have to think ahead and plan ahead and accept that nothing we did before the pandemic will be quite the same during the pandemic. So whilst it's good news, please treat the good news with caution, be extra organised. Plan ahead, book ahead, do things online," Ms Berejiklian said.
Queensland's tourism lobby groups are among those calling for the borders to reopen in time for the school holidays but Queensland government has indicated that probably won't be happening until at least September.
There's been one new positive case detected in a returned traveller.
Chief Health Officer Doctor Jeannette Young said a woman in her 70s, who returned from India via Singapore two months ago, tested positive after developing mild respiratory symptoms.
"We're not sure whether that is a persistent case or whether she acquired it here. We think it most likely that she acquired the case in India but we'll now have to do a lot of work to work through that. Some additional testing and also we'll have to talk to her and look at contact tracing so all that work has started," Dr Young said.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has announced restrictions will be eased earlier in the state than originally planned.
The state will then move to stage two, three days earlier than scheduled on the 5th of June.
Victoria has recorded eight new coronavirus cases overnight. One of the new cases is linked to the Cedar Meats cluster, which has now confirmed 103 cases.
Two healthcare workers at Kyabram Health Service in northern Victoria have also tested positive.
'International students could be back in months'
International students could head back to Australia within months if universities come up with plans for how they can be safely quarantined and cleared of coronavirus.
The higher education sector has been hit hard by a drop off in international students as the coronavirus led to border closures.
The government's early move to stop people coming from China was especially damaging, with that country the largest source of international students in Australia.
Health Minister Greg Hunt says universities should put forward suggestions about how they could bring international students back to campuses.
"We are welcoming of proposals for universities, subject to it being at the same as their general student populations, to look at means of bringing back through supervised, stringent quarantine, international students. That's something both state and federal governments would be willing to consider."
On the opening of borders, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says he respects the decisions made by the states and territories to protect their own populations by imposing travel restrictions.
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.
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