Border Crossings for primary industry workers

Travelling to Queensland – border is closed:

A new class exemption for farmers and agribusiness is now available for workers to move across the Queensland border until 11:59pm 20 August 2021.

The class exemption is only for movement associated with performing essential agribusiness services for the agriculture supply chain or farming activities, including the care of livestock.

Anyone who has travelled into Greater Sydney in the last 14 days cannot use the class exemption to enter Queensland—they will need to apply for exemption as a specialist worker.

Also, the class exemption does not apply to anyone who has been to an interstate exposure site, is a close contact, has had known contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, or has COVID-19 symptoms (unless cleared by a medical practitioner or provides a negative COVID-19 test no greater than 3 days prior to travel).

There are conditions (refer to the full details in the class exemption letter):

• A Quarantine Management Plan must be available (including wearing masks, use of the Check In Qld app and records of movements that can be provided on request).
• Travel directly to and from a relevant farm and stop only for rest stop facilities, fuel and activities directly related to their agribusiness activity, or to manage fatigue.
• A person must only remain in Queensland for the time necessary to perform the essential work and must remain isolated to the extent reasonably practicable from others until departure or for 14 days (whichever is shorter).

Crossing the border under the class exemption. You must:

• complete a Queensland border declaration pass
• carry a copy of the Chief Health Officer's class exemption letter
• provide evidence of your identity which confirms place of residence (e.g. a driver licence)
• provide evidence of your employment or contract, property ownership, lease or agistment
  arrangements
• provide information you have attempted to source the skills from a non-hotspot in another state or territory and that it has either been genuinely not possible to do so or is cost or time prohibitive.

From 30 July 2021 mandatory testing will be required and you must have evidence of a negative COVID19 test within the last 7 days, and maintain a rolling 7-day testing cycle, and provide this evidence if requested.

If a worker resides in the border community region, they can continue to cross the border following all requirements, including having a Queensland Entry Pass.  

NSW Requirements for those travelling or returning to NSW from Queensland

The NSW Travel Declaration for travellers from Queensland, requires all travellers entering NSW to complete an online declaration each time they cross the border. Rules and restrictions apply if you have been in an affected area, area of concern or a place of high concern, and are entering or have entered NSW.

Travelling to Victoria – border is closed:

NSW is currently in the extreme risk category, as part of Victoria's traffic light system. Anyone who has been in an extreme risk zone after the relevant zone commencement time in the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter Victoria unless they have an exemption, exception, transit permit or specified worker permit.

There is a permit system for Specified Workers which includes workers from a business or undertaking support services to permitted agriculture, forestry and fishing activities, such as food safety and verification, inspection or associated laboratory services and biosecurity functions. 

Specified workers must apply for a permit to enter Victoria. Permit processing is not immediate, so apply well in advance of travel.

Any workers who travel into NSW, or beyond the border bubble for border residents, are required to apply for and receive a permit and abide by the conditions of that permit to return to Victoria, . All people who enter Victoria are required to follow Victorian restrictions whilst in Victoria.   
 
Authorised workers in the border community region can move within the border bubble for the purposes of work and must carry proof of address. Conditions of entry apply for border residents who have been outside of the border bubble. 
 

NSW Requirements for those travelling or returning to NSW from Victoria: 

The NSW Travel Declaration for travellers from Victoria, requires all travellers entering NSW to complete an online declaration. Rules and restrictions apply if you have been in an affected area, area of concern or a place of high concern, and are entering or have entered NSW.

Travelling to South Australia – border is closed:

Any person arriving in SA from NSW is currently prohibited from entering SA unless they are an essential traveller or a cross border resident. All travellers coming to South Australia must first complete a a Cross Border Travel Registration, irrespective of where they are travelling from. 

Agricultural workers can apply for a Specialist Workers in Essential Sectors permit which has the following requirements  
 

• COVID-19 test on day 1, 5, & 13,
• Self-quarantine unless performing the duties, functions or activities of the category, or travelling to and from performing the duties, functions or activities for 14 days.
• Must wear a face mask (covering mouth and nosehttps://www.police.sa.gov.au/online-services/cross-border-travel-application) at any time that they come into contact with the public for a period of 14 days after their arrival in South Australia.
• Employer must have a compliant risk mitigation strategies in place during the periods of work.

To obtain a Specialist Workers in Essential Sectors permit you must provide either an approval letter from SA Health for a Risk Mitigation Plan OR an approval letter from the SA Health Exemption Committee. You must provide a letter (naming you as the applicant) from your employer in support of your application.
 
Commercial Transport and Freight travellers who have been in New South Wales in the previous 14 days must comply with Level 4 requirements for self-quarantine, testing on days 1, 5 and 13 (or can provide evidence of a COVID-19 or negative COVID-19 test result in the preceding 7 days), and wearing face mask in public after arrival in South Australia.

Permit processing is not immediate, so apply well in advance of travel.

The New South Wales Cross Border corridor is now limited to the LGA of Broken Hill and communities in South Australia including Manna Hill, Olary, Tikalina and Cockburn.

Cross border corridor residents will still be permitted to enter South Australia however, only for a strict number of reasons:

• Employment or education
• Providing care and support or receiving care and support from another person
• Obtaining food, petrol or other fuel or medical care or supplies
• Obtaining COVID-19 vaccination.

The cross-border community are permitted unrestricted entry into SA as long as they have not left the cross-border corridor (100km from the SA/NSW border) in the 14 days prior to their arrival in SA.

NSW Requirements for those travelling or returning to NSW from South Australia: 

The NSW Travel Declaration for travellers from South Australia, requires all travellers entering NSW to complete an online declaration each time they cross the border. Rules and restrictions apply if you have been in an affected area, area of concern or a place of high concern, and are entering or have entered NSW.

Travelling to the Australian Capital Territory – border is open:

There are no restrictions in place to cross the border.
 

Financial support for people and businesses

Eligible NSW businesses, sole traders and not-for-profit organisations will be able to apply for the first tranche of economic support, the 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant.

The 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant will be available to NSW businesses that have a turnover of more than $75,000 and up to $50 million, and have a total annual wages bill of below $10 million. Eligible businesses for the 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant will receive:

• $15,000 for a decline in turnover of 70 per cent, or more;
• $10,500 for a decline in turnover of 50 per cent, or more;
• $7,500 for a decline in turnover of 30 per cent, or more.

Applications for the second tranche of assistance, which includes the Micro Business Support Grants and the JobSaver program, will open from Monday, July 26.

From July 26, the Micro Business Support Grant will be available for eligible businesses with a turnover of between $30,000 and $75,000 that experience a decline in turnover of 30 per cent or more. Eligible businesses will receive $1,500, tax-free, per fortnight of restrictions.

Further details including how to apply will be available here. 

Support for individuals impacted by the current COVID-19 restrictions and stay-at-home orders is available through Services Australia. For more information visit: www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/covid19.
 

Primary industries business support resources

The DPI has consolidated documents, that help businesses across the sector manage the risk of COVID-19 to keep their workers safe and enable business continuity, into one place on our DPI COVID webpage. Visit the COVID-19 and your business webpage to find templates and workplace resources.

Restricted movement areas in the Greater Sydney area

The Local Government Areas (LGA) of Cumberland, Blacktown, Fairfield, Liverpool & Canterbury-Bankstown have further movement restrictions, with only authorised workers being able to move outside of the LGA area. There are testing requirements for workers from these LGAs.