Qantas has stepped up pressure to get state borders opened with a call to the tourism industry to join the airline’s petition.
The ‘Safely Open Our Borders’ petition is calling for a national consensus on the criteria of a Covid-19 ‘hotspot.’
If these can be designated based on standardised criteria, state borders can be safely opened, Qatas argues.
"We’re calling for decisions on domestic border closures to be risk-assessed against an agreed set of medical criteria and a shared definition of what constitutes a Covid hotspot," Qantas said on its website.
The petition is hosted on the website and it calls for employees and tourism industry players to add their voice.
"There is huge pent up demand for domestic travel with Australians wanting to get away on holiday and we want to see local businesses and the one million people in the tourism industry, get back to work," the airline said.
It hasn’t swayed some Queensland MPs.
"They are pushing for a relaxation of the border restrictions because it would suit them and their business. The Government will make its recommendations and decisions based on the best medical advice, not commercial interests," Labor MP Michael Healy told the Australian Financial Review.
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles also hit out at Qantas.
"These companies and their chief executives obviously have a right to further their economic interests of the companies, but the government has a responsibility first and foremost to take care of the health and the jobs of Queenslanders. If the boss of Qantas wanted to do more and show compassion for Australians, then he wouldn’t be gouging them tens of thousands of dollars just to come home," Miles said.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Pacific editor
