Plans to safely ease restrictions on our international borders are a critical step to reopening Australia to new job creating investment and reuniting Australian families, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.
“This is a common sense, risked based move to pave the way for Australia to reopen, reunite and recover. BCA analysis by EY has estimated the cost of international border closures to be around $7.6 billion per month, so rolling back restrictions is critical.
“The vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of transmission and serious illness, so it makes sense to wind back hotel quarantine for protected travellers.
“This will help send the message to the world that Australia is open for new jobs and investment.
“Critically, it will help get Australians home and reduce the skills bottlenecks that make it harder to get big projects and investments going.
“Now, state and territory leaders must release their domestic reopening plans and stick to them.
“It would be ludicrous to create a situation that sees people free to leave and enter Australia but not move between states.
“The longer we delay planning to reopen and reunite, the bigger the risk to our international reputation as a good place to do business, invest, visit and create jobs.”
