Scott Morrison says it was a difficult decision to reduce flights from India.
National Cabinet has announced a temporary reduction to the number of incoming flights from India amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases in returning passengers.
Following an afternoon national cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said chartered and direct flights from India would soon be cut by 30 per cent and departures to India would be limited.
He said returning Australian residents and citizens from “high-risk countries” was an important issue.
So, what are the changes? and what other high-risk countries could be considered?
Here’s what you need to know.
What is changing?
Mr Morrison said the change would come into effect “in the months ahead”, but that the government was flagging the changes now.(AAP: Mal Fairclough)
So far, the main identified high-risk country is India, which will see a 30 per cent reduction of flights to and from Australia.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decrease would apply to both the government-organised repatriation flights and commercial flights into Sydney.
“We will also be limiting the departure exceptions for Australians travelling to high-risk countries,” he said.
Mr Morrison said the change would come into effect “in the months ahead”, but that the government was flagging the changes now.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said there would also be changes to the schedule of repatriation flights bound for Howard
Springs from India, as well as the requirements for people boarding them.
