The hard border separating Western Australia from the rest of the country is now in force. The move is the clearest possible sign that the grey nomad lifestyle as we know it is officially over … at least for now.
With Premier Mark McGowan declaring the state to effectively be an ‘island within an island’, the question on many people’s lips though is ‘how long can this last?’
The answer, at least for leisure-seeking caravanners and motorhomers, appears to be ‘a very long time’.
Mr McGowan said there was no quick fix to the health challenges that the nation and the state faces.
“I’d urge everyone to prepare for up to six months at this point of time,” he said. “We’ll review it (the border closure) each month but it’s going to be a long hard winter of restrictions … that is a very unfortunate reality in WA.”
There are very clear guidelines about who will be exempt from the new hard border restrictions. They are: health services; emergency service workers; transport, freight and logistics; specialist skills not available in WA; national or State security and governance; and courts and judicial services.
There will also be exemptions for fly-in-fly-out workers and their families.
Any passenger who does not meet the exemption criteria will be sent back to where they came from and anyone caught lying could face 12 months in prison or a fine up to $50,000.
West Australians who are already in quarantine for 14 days in the eastern states will be allowed back into WA if they show no signs of Covid-19, and they will then face a further 14-day self-quarantine period when they get home.
WA Today reports that the border closure came after the holiday town of Esperance went into lockdown, with no visitors at all permitted.
“The idea Australians and West Australians can never travel overseas again or never travel over east again is of course is abhorrent to all of us,” said McGowan. “But at the moment that’s the way it is, when we get better advice and when we get the best health advice on being able to lift that, we’ll take that advice but I think that will be months and months away.”
Totally devastating & scarey
there should be no need for hard borders if everyone obeyed the rule about essential travel only – but no some think “she’ll be right mate”
Refer to Section 92 in the Constitution of Australia.
W.A. is not stopping goods from crossing its borders just people. Have you read Section 92 in the Constitution of Australia. If not read it.
Hey Pat from the Top End, we have been saying for a long time Australia is one country so get rid of state borders. The savings in getting rid of a duplicate lot of politicians alone would clear the countries deficit! And we may have unified laws and charges instead of State fees, laws and charges like ‘National” park fees, car licenses, rego fees, fishing licenses, differing liquor laws, fossiking licenses, etc …