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Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s plea to open doors to fully jabbed and scrap quarantine

Andrew BrownAAP
Business wants an end to quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated overseas students and workers.
Camera IconBusiness wants an end to quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated overseas students and workers. Credit: AAP

Business is pushing for the end of all quarantine arrangements for the fully vaccinated, warning Australia’s economic recovery from the pandemic could be at risk.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants the government to outline a timetable for when fully vaccinated skilled migrants, international students and tourists will be able to travel to Australia.

Chamber CEO Andrew McKellar said Australia was still effectively closed until the current quarantine requirements, which discourage those groups from entering the country, were scrapped.

“While the rest of the world is moving on from closed borders, we’re at risk of getting left behind,” Mr McKellar said.

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“We must move beyond quarantine for international arrivals and travel bubble arrangements, opening up to most fully vaccinated travellers.”

International borders were reopened on Monday but only for fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and their families, who can travel to NSW and Victoria without having to go into quarantine.

The federal government has indicated other groups would be able to enter Australia at a later point, potentially by the end of the year.

Those travelling to Australia from overseas will need to be fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

On Monday, the TGA recognised a Chinese and an Indian-made vaccine, which it said would pave the way for more people to arrive in Australia.

“We are shooting ourselves in the foot if fully vaccinated Australians can come and go overseas but other international arrivals are banned,” Mr McKellar said.

“While intentions to reopen by Christmas are promising, business needs a clear timetable for the return of these (student and skilled worker) groups to ensure we can maximise our economic recovery.”

Quarantine-free travel arrangements have been put in place between Australia and New Zealand, as well as Singapore.

However, Mr McKellar said those arrangements could not replace the economic losses being experienced.

“Without opening up, we run the risk that international students, skilled migrants, working holiday makers and foreign tourists will head elsewhere,” he added.

“Not many are going to return to Australia if they have to undertake two weeks of quarantine.”

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