The federal and Victorian governments appear to be at loggerheads after Premier Daniel Andrews flagged international tourists visiting his state might have to be triple vaxxed.
The federal government plans to open the nation’s borders to overseas tourists from February 21 for the first time in two years to boost the local industry.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday travellers who have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccination would be welcomed back more than 700 days after the pandemic halted most international travel.
But Mr Andrews on Tuesday flagged international visitors coming to Victoria could have to fall into line with rules applying to state residents.
These rules require people going to hospitality venues and major events to have had their two doses, plus a booster shot.
“It’ll apply here, in the state of Victoria,” he told reporters when asked if the same rules would apply.
Federal Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Mr Andrews was fuelling uncertainty and should reconsider because the state could miss out on the economic boost those travellers will bring.
“The commonwealth health advice says that we can go with the double dose,” he told the Nine Network on Wednesday.
“Of course, he (Andrews) can offer, we can offer … the chance to get a booster when they get here.
“We don’t want to have a fight over this.
“We want them (Victoria) to adhere to the same type of approach that we’re trusting the rest of the country will stick to, which is the health advice says double dose.”
Meanwhile, aged care nurses say understaffing, low pay and a shortage of protective equipment need to be addressed to avoid a worsening COVID-19 crisis in the sector.
The nurses rallied at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday to raise their concerns, as Labor stepped up its call for Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck to resign over the crisis.
ACTU president Michele O’Neil said the tireless work of those workers in the aged care sector had kept residents alive and helped families navigate the pandemic.
“Half of Australian aged care centres are now battling staffing shortages and more than 700 centres currently have COVID outbreaks,” she said.
“Every day that the Morrison government fails to act … is another day that the crisis is worsening, and workers and residents are getting sick.”
Senator Colbeck told parliament there had been 1288 cases of COVID-19 in aged care facilities since the beginning of the year, and 587 deaths, but more than three-quarters of eligible residents had received their booster shot.
Under attack from Labor in parliament, he acknowledged there had been “some issues”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at every point in the pandemic the government had sought to provide “every single support to ensure we can be assisting both the workforce and those who are engaged in providing that care”.
Polling conducted for the Health Services Union has found 71 per cent of voters backed a 25 per cent increase in the average pay rate to $29 per cent hour, from around $22, for aged care workers.
Some 62 per cent want federal funding for the sector to be increased, the poll conducted by JSW Research and released on Wednesday found.
The government has sent 1700 Australian Defence Force medical personnel would in to assist aged care facilities facing staff shortages.
There were another 56 COVID-19-related deaths reported nationally on Tuesday and 27,642 new infections.
By Paul Osborne in Canberra, AAP
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