Morrison slams border closures costing 5000 jobs a week
Scott Morrison is itching to unlock interstate travel as new figures show border closures are costing nearly 5000 jobs a week and $84 million a day.
A new report says Queensland nd WA are right to have kept borders closed. (Photo: AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
The Prime Minister is also open to flying in hundreds of foreign university students next month, but warned other international travellers would not be visiting any time soon.
Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have still not announced when their border restrictions will be lifted.
Morrison said they should never have been closed in the first place.
“That’s why this is so frustrating,” he told 2GB radio on Thursday.
The Prime Minister said Australia had done a world-class job in keeping outbreaks and infection rates low.
“Businesses should be able to open and employ people,” Morrison said.
Two universities in the ACT want to fly in 300 foreign students next month.
Morrison supports the idea but pointed out South Australia would not fully reopen until July 20.
“You can’t have people coming from Singapore if you haven’t got people coming from Sydney,” he said.
“And our universities need to be fully open to domestic students in the first instance before looking at this.”
The Prime Minister said there was “a bit of a glass ceiling on the economy” when it came to restrictions around overseas travel, which will be delayed until next year.
“I can’t honestly see international travel more generally, people coming from all over the world to Australia again, any time soon,” Morrison said.
Qantas has cancelled all international flights until late October except for services to New Zealand.
-AAP
