Enforcement efforts along the Victorian and New South Wales (NSW) border have been ramped up to keep the State safe from the growing COVID-19 outbreak in NSW.
Minister for Health, Martin Foley said that with border zones changing quickly across Australia, anyone travelling into Victoria must hold a valid Victorian Travel Permit to enter.
“Victorian residents entering from a red zone must apply for a Red Zone permit to return home, must isolate for 14 days and return a negative test, while interstate residents will be turned back at the border and sent home,” Mr Foley said.
“Those travelling from an orange zone must have an Orange Zone permit, get tested within 72 hours and isolate until they receive a negative result,” he said.
“Victoria’s Authorised Officers are continuing their strong presence at our airports to ensure everyone travelling has the correct permits, as well as conducting regular household visits to those who need to be isolating.”
Mr Foley said that since the first red zone came into effect on 23 June, the Department of Health had processed more than 5,000 Red Zone permits for returning Victorians and more than 21,000 Orange Zone permits.
The Minister said 38 per cent of Red Zone permit holders had returned a negative COVID-19 test, as well as 31 per cent of those from Orange Zones.
He said that since 25 June, more than 260 Police officers each day were conducting mobile border zone checks and patrols along the Victoria/NSW border to restrict unauthorised travel into the State.
“This targeted, mobile and highly visible police enforcement model has proven to be successful – with data showing a detection rate of 48 out of 1000 compared to 1.14 out of every 1,000 while the hard border was in place,” Mr Foley said.
He said Victoria had also made a request to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for 130 personnel to support compliance operations at airports and compliance checks throughout the State.
