At today's media briefing [September 18, 2020], the Prime Minister Mr Scott Morrison announced that one of the key items discussed and agreed upon was the increase of allowed arrivals from overseas. He foreshadowed that there are many Australian nationals who are stuck overseas who are eager to come home, especially where they are located have many cases of COVID-19.
The prime minister has warned states and territories more international passengers must be allowed to land with 27,000 Australians stranded overseas
Mr Morrison thanked NSW Premier Gladys Berjeklian for agreeing to take additional 500 international arrivals per week, making a total of 3000 passengers per week would be allowed entry into New South Wales from towards end of September 2020. He also mentioned that both Western Australia and Queensland also agreed to lift the cap of arrivals into their areas in a staggered plan. WA in particular to take 200 arrivals from September 28 and increasing this to 500 from October 12.
Mr Morrison said "As the COVID pandemic continues to roll on around the world, we are encouraged by what we see in Victoria. We are encouraged by the relaxation of restrictions in regional Victoria that we have seen. We are hopeful that the roadmap that has been outlined by the Victorian Premier continues to be achieved and accelerated in terms of controlling the COVID cases."
From 12.01am Thursday 17 September NSW-Victoria border region residents are able to travel within the border region for any reason with a current permit.
Victorian border region residents no longer need to comply with any Victorian Stay at Home Directions while in NSW.
Holders of a border region resident permit that was current at 12.01am Thursday, 17 September will be considered to have a new border region resident permit, with the new conditions continue to be valid until the permit’s date of expiry.
NSW reported 6 new cases in the last 24 hours, five of these are from hotel quarantine and one from a link to a known source. In the meantime, Victoria reported 45 new cases and 5 deaths.