The Australian federal government has tightened travel restrictions for passengers from Italy, but has resisted a total ban, as the Melbourne Formula 1 race is expected to continue next week.
As Australia’s response to the COVID-19 crises evolves, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today that South Korea has been added to the same travel ban list as China and Iran .
The bans, scheduled for March 14 at the earliest, will not allow passengers to enter Australia within 14 days of their departure from one of these three countries.
Morrison also confirmed that passengers arriving from Italy will be subject to more stringent entry requirements, including questions during check-in and arrival temperature checks.
However, Italy has once again escaped a total travel ban – which could prove crucial for next week’s Australian Grand Prix.
If travel advice for Italy does not change until next week, the last hurdle for the MPA would be any potential restriction on public gatherings to limit the risk of transmission.
No major event has yet been canceled in Australia, although Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula said on SEN radio yesterday that Australian rules season starting behind closed doors “is not out of the question”.
Autosport approached the Australian Grand Prix Corporation for its response to the latest government travel advice.
Supercars, which is about to host its second round of the paid season at Albert Park if the event takes place, says it will follow the “advice and direction” of the AGPC.
“Supercars is ready to race next week and it is as usual for us,” read a statement provided to Autosport by the series.
“We remain flexible and comply with the guidelines established by the Australian health authorities.
“As it is not our event, the Supercars will follow the advice and direction of the AGP, but we are ready to go and we look forward to a great racing weekend.”
Inter-state teams are expected to begin the trek to Melbourne this weekend, if the event is not canceled by that date.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott reiterated that the grand prize will go according to plan, and he expects teams will start arriving in Melbourne in the coming days.
“Everything is planned for next week,” Westacott told 3AW Radio Melbourne.
“There are 50 Formula 1 workers who have been in Albert Park for a few days now.
“Freight arrives between tomorrow and Saturday / Sunday from Avalon. Everyone from Formula 1, including the teams we should be talking about in more detail, arrives from Thursday to Tuesday next week.
“The Prime Minister announced at his press conference at 1 p.m. the enhanced screening procedures and measures from Italy.
“And I think he argued that there were about 5 times the volume of people from Australia from South Korea against Italy.
“I suppose that the health officials, at the national level, and the contribution of the state health officials and after that of the national security committee, they do not take into account the events and other things.
“They take into account what is ultimately best for the nation, taking into account all the inputs and the result is a very good result.”
The Australian federal government has tightened travel restrictions for passengers from Italy, but has resisted a total ban, as the Melbourne Formula 1 race is expected to continue next week.
As Australia’s response to the COVID-19 crises evolves, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today that South Korea has been added to the same travel ban list as China and Iran .
The bans, scheduled for March 14 at the earliest, will not allow passengers to enter Australia within 14 days of their departure from one of these three countries.
Morrison also confirmed that passengers arriving from Italy will be subject to more stringent entry requirements, including questions during check-in and arrival temperature checks.
However, Italy has once again escaped a total travel ban – which could prove crucial for next week’s Australian Grand Prix.
If travel advice for Italy does not change until next week, the last hurdle for the MPA would be any potential restriction on public gatherings to limit the risk of transmission.
No major event has yet been canceled in Australia, although Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula said on SEN radio yesterday that Australian rules season starting behind closed doors “is not out of the question”.
Autosport approached the Australian Grand Prix Corporation for its response to the latest government travel advice.
Supercars, which is about to host its second round of the paid season at Albert Park if the event takes place, says it will follow the “advice and direction” of the AGPC.
“Supercars is ready to race next week and it is as usual for us,” read a statement provided to Autosport by the series.
“We remain flexible and comply with the guidelines established by the Australian health authorities.
“As it is not our event, the Supercars will follow the advice and direction of the AGP, but we are ready to go and we look forward to a great racing weekend.”
Inter-state teams are expected to begin the trek to Melbourne this weekend, if the event is not canceled by that date.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott reiterated that the grand prize will go according to plan, and he expects teams will start arriving in Melbourne in the coming days.
“Everything is planned for next week,” Westacott told 3AW Radio Melbourne.
“There are 50 Formula 1 workers who have been in Albert Park for a few days now.
“Freight arrives between tomorrow and Saturday / Sunday from Avalon. Everyone from Formula 1, including the teams we should be talking about in more detail, arrives from Thursday to Tuesday next week.
“The Prime Minister announced at his press conference at 1 p.m. the enhanced screening procedures and measures from Italy.
“And I think he argued that there were about 5 times the volume of people from Australia from South Korea against Italy.
“I suppose that the health officials, at the national level, and the contribution of the state health officials and after that of the national security committee, they do not take into account the events and other things.
“They take into account what is ultimately best for the nation, taking into account all the inputs and the result is a very good result.”