Friday, 9 October 2020

Information for Essential Travellers – Commercial Transport and Freight Services

09 October 2020

Updates to the Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel 16) (COVID-19) Direction

From today, people travelling from NSW to SA by road may travel through Victoria via the Sturt Highway, from Mildura to Yamba, or via the Calder Highway and Meridian Road then the Sturt Highway to Yamba, without requiring testing or quarantine provided they avoid non-essential contact and do not stop in Victoria unless required by law or due to an urgent, pressing necessity.

This DOES NOT APPLY to commercial transport and freight operators who are captured under the Commercial Transport and Freight Essential Traveller requirements. Entry to South Australia is as detailed below.

Road Border Entry Requirements

All travellers into South Australia are required to complete a cross border registration form 72 hours prior to arrival.

Commercial Transport and Freight Services Essential Travellers approved to enter SA from Victoria must produce evidence of having a COVID-19 test, or a COVID-19 test result, that is not more than seven days old, upon request from an Authorised Officer (eg SA Police Officer), or obtain a test as soon as practicable on entering SA and within 24 hours.

Police Officers at the border will note whether evidence of a test was sighted or a direction to obtain a test was given. You can use the referral form you received at the border to attend a drive-through testing clinic.

All commercial transport and freight Essential Travellers who are residents of Victoria must wear a face mask when entering South Australia and self-quarantine in their truck or other private arrangements when not undertaking work-related duties. This is not a requirement for essential freight workers who are not Victorian residents.

There are no restrictions on travellers who have completed cross border registration from low community transmission zones provided that they have not been any other place than the low community transmission zone. There is no requirement to self-quarantine while waiting for test results; unless displaying symptoms of COVID-19.

Heavy Vehicle Worker COVID-19 Testing

The State Government continues to work to provide testing facilities to meet the needs of the freight industry. Dedicated sites for heavy vehicle COVID-19 testing continue to operate at the following locations and do not require bookings or referrals;

• Yamba
  Yamba Quarantine Station, National Highway, A20
  Operational 0700 to 2100, seven days per week.
• Tailem Bend
  Tasco Caltex Tailem Bend Roadhouse, 8786 Princes Hwy
  Operational 0000 to 1600 hours, seven days per week.
• Port Augusta
  Puma Port Augusta Truck stop, Lot 8, National Highway 1
  Operational 0800 – 2300, seven days per week.
• Bordertown
  Border site, Dukes Highway
  0800 to 1600, seven days per week
• Mt Gambier
  Border site, Princes Hwy
  0800 to 1600, seven days per week.

Medicare Rebate for Freight

The Australian Government announced a $2 billion extension in funding for Medicare-subsidised telehealth and pathology services for a further six months, to 31 March 2021. This includes an extension to the Medicare rebate for asymptomatic testing of freight operators at private COVID‑19 testing clinics. The Medicare item has been expanded to include testing of rail crew.

The September update of the Medicare Benefits Scheme is available here.

Maritime Crew Essential Travellers

Fact sheets, linked below, have been provided for the Maritime industry to detail;

An overview of Australia’s requirements for maritime crew, with information to state and territory websites for specific maritime exemptions.

For updates relevant to industry directions issued in South Australia, visit www.dit.sa.gov.au/covidborderinfo.