Australians will have to wait even longer before they can travel overseas, as the travel ban has been extended to mid-September, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Due to the pandemic, on March 18, the government banned Australians from travelling overseas until further notice and advised those on an overseas trip to return to the country as soon as possible.
The three-month emergency powers were set to expire next Wednesday, but were extended for another three months until September 17.
The Health Department said the extension was to 'ensure the Australian government continues to have an appropriate range of powers available to manage the ongoing pandemic response'.
'The outgoing travel restriction on Australian citizens and permanent residents is currently in effect for the duration of the emergency period,' it said.
Australia's borders have been shut to all international arrivals except for citizens and permanent residents since March 20. Those allowed to enter Australia are required to stay in hotel quarantine for 14 days.
Last month, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis proposed the creation of a “safe corridor” that will allow travel between countries which have successfully contained their coronavirus outbreaks, in a bid to revive tourism once border restrictions are lifted.
Participants in the video call included the Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz, Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis, and Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.
Meanwhile over the weekend, Mitsotakis announced that Greece is ready to welcome tourists this summer with priority to health safety.
“When the summer tourist season comes full circle,” said Mitsotakis, “we will be able to say that we did not just manage the first wave of the pandemic in an exemplary way, but that we also set the bar very high on how we can reopen tourism safely – above all else,” he exclaimed.
When asked if opening the country to visitors might jeopardise the government’s efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Mitsotakis said that “there is no risk-free approach…we are doing the best we can” and emphasised that the economy will operate under “very robust guidelines” enforcing social distancing and other measures, such as mandatory wearing of masks in transport as well as by all catering personnel.
“I believe the worst (of the pandemic) is over and I don’t think a full lockdown will be necessary…in case of a localised outbreak, we have the medical and civil protection infrastructure in place to tackle it safely and efficiently,” Mitsotakis said.
where do i start. like for some travelling back to our homeland is vital. more important than anything else. i have stopped voting a long time ago because there is no point. they want to be elected they take your vote and then make choices based on things they never ever discussed before stealing your vote. i dont care or believe there is a pandemic. more people have died from the common cold and flu in the last year in all countries than this so called pandemic. Coronavirus has been around or they have known of it from the 60’s. the particular strand which is a laboratory created version was created last year hence the 19 at the end of the name. in Greece September last year they past a new law making it illegal for you not to vaccinate when asked to vaccinate. now they knew something they didnt do it by luck. my problem is let me travel. i will ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS WHEN I GET BACK. the issue here is greater than my civil rights being stepped on. these idiots are going to force you to vaccinate before you can get a certificate to travel. anyone who believes otherwise is just a product of our times. i should be free to get sick and die where i choose. i have dual citizenship , i pay taxes in both countries whats the problem. I WILL NOT VACCINATE its my RIGHT. if those who believe in this crap want to then they should have nothing to fear from those who chose not too.
every year i have to fight with my employer so i can be given the right to go on a trip to Greece. you see we have given rights to minorities and we get sued and sacked for disagreeing with them however, i dont have the right to go where i want when i want for the duration i want ( my 4 weeks annual leave my choice). then enter COVID. chances are i may become unemployed, then i find a new job will the new employer let me leave in July of next year if i manage to find a job? you see this is a major stress to me. locked down for how long now, a shitty work environment and not even allowed to get a glimpse of what is mine what is ours ( GREECE) because of a virus.