Mark McGowan throws open borders with a message for domestic airlines

Premier Mark McGowan has announced that Western Australia is about to open up to both NSW and Victoria on Tuesday.

Quarantine will no longer be mandatory when entering WA.

Despite a NSW hotel worker testing positive to COVID-19 last week, plans to open the border will still go ahead.

Mr McGowan said it was a positive sign it was from an American strain of the virus, instead of a locally acquired case.

Mr McGowan said there was “no point taking unnecessary risks”.

He also said authorities have been keeping an eye on the case in NSW “like a hawk”.

“All through the pandemic I’ve made it crystal clear that Western Australia will take a careful, cautious approach to opening the border,” he said.

Thousands of families are set to travel over Christmas amid the border reopening, and Mr McGowan has encouraged airlines to make their fares affordable and “not to gouge customers”.

Mr McGowan says he will not hesitate to reinstate the hard border if more outbreaks occur in other states.