Australia coronavirus news live: Tighter restrictions in force for NYE as Sydney’s Croydon cluster causes concern and Victoria announces new cases

December 31, 2020
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1.21am EST01:21

For people living in border communities in NSW and Victoria, you will be able to use your drivers’ license or ID as a permit to travel between the two states.

This will be part of a so-called ‘Border Bubble’, the Victoria government says.

They say there will be more details about the system announced shortly.




1.06am EST01:06

Roger Cook, subtly hinting at WA’s opinion on the way NSW has handled the current outbreak:


In New South Wales they are getting on top of it, but as you can see, the longer you take to ramp up these measures, the longer it takes to get on top of the disease.

Updated
at 1.11am EST




1.02am EST01:02

Victorians arriving after 1 January must go into hotel quarantine

Melissa Davey

Melissa Davey

I have just spoken to the premier’s office in Victoria to clarify how the hard border with New South Wales will work.

Obviously, the government wants to reserve as many hotel quarantine spots as possible for returning international travellers, who are at highest risk of carrying the virus. That’s why the hard border is taking effect from 11.59pm tomorrow [Friday] – to give as many Victorians still in NSW as much time to get back as possible to avoid a hotel quarantine influx.

Victorians returning before 11.59pm tonight will be tested at the airport and told to isolate at home until a test result comes through. Victorians arriving before 11.59pm tomorrow will be tested and required to isolate at home for 14 days. Anyone who arrives after that will go into mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine.

Most airlines are expected to cancel all but one or two flights by then, with those flights usually reserved for people granted approval to travel on compassionate grounds, and for cargo.

The clear message to Victorians in NSW is get back now.

Updated
at 1.08am EST




12.56am EST00:56

The WA police commissioner, Chris Dawson, says people will need to apply for entry into WA through the state government’s G2G app. Existing applications will no longer be valid.




12.54am EST00:54

Cook says authorities will also be contacting anyone who arrived in WA from 21 December onwards to tell them what is expected of them.

Updated
at 12.57am EST




12.51am EST00:51

Anyone who has arrived in Western Australia from Victoria on or after 21 December will need to self-quarantine immediately.

“They will need to be in self-quarantine for 14 days from when they arrived in Western Australia and get a Covid-19 test at any point symptoms develop,” Roger Cook says. “They will also need to present to a Covid-19 clinic for a test on day 11.”

Updated
at 12.57am EST




12.50am EST00:50

Cook says WA residents on holidays in Victoria will be “dealt with on a compassionate basis”, case by case.

These returning Western Australians will have to self-quarantine for 14 days when they arrive back home, and they will need to have a Day 11 Covid-19 test,” he says.




12.45am EST00:45

WA border closed to Victoria for all but ‘exempt travellers’

Roger Cook, WA’s acting premier, has stepped up for a press conference. He says it “would appear the virus has jumped the border into Victoria”.

Cook says Victoria will become a “medium risk” state from 12.01am, 1 January. This means people will not be able to enter from Victoria unless they are an “exempt traveller”.

There will be a list of exemptions, which will be the same as are in place for NSW.

Updated
at 12.49am EST




12.41am EST00:41

Some reaction to Victoria’s decision to close its borders to NSW.

jeanvb
(@jean_virginia)

Victoria’s border with NSW to close from midnight tonight. #CovidVic pic.twitter.com/MULQi8OLDC


December 31, 2020

Mark Scott
(@mscott)

Calling the northern holidaymakers home. Hard border closure from midnight tomorrow night from NSW to Victoria. A little over 32 hours to get there. (But if in an affected NSW area – you only have till midnight tonight)


December 31, 2020




12.38am EST00:38

Fyles says that three crew from the Diamantina ship are in Royal Darwin hospital being treated for Covid.

Covid-19