The federal government’s announcement that students who are fully vaxed and visa-ed can enter Australia as of December was enthusiastically applauded by the industry yesterday

Unsurprising, give it is the nearest thing to good news of any moment since the pandemic started.

-But there is confining of the joy in the announcement, “travellers to Australia must comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territory to which they plan to travel.”

Which probably accounts for elements of educator enthusiasm – with the states not exactly in raptures about opening en masse the industry needs to apply all the pressure it can.

Of the three markets that matter size-wise, NSW and Victoria do not require internationals approved by the feds to quarantine but, until yesterday at least, small numbers arriving were anticipated. NSW has pilot schemes to bring in hundreds, which will stay for a while. NSW VC committee convenor Barney Glover says there may be a shortage of incoming airline seats.

On the weekend, Victoria was referring to a “limited number” of arrivals.

And Queensland proposes allowing 250 students a week in, who would have to quarantine for 14 days, at least until the state reached 90 per cent domestic doubled vaxxed.

Allowing students landside at international airports is the one thing the Commonwealth can do, what the states require from them is the rest.