The state government says it has clearance from the Commonwealth for international students to quarantine at Flight Training Adelaide’s accommodation, at Parafield

The Commonwealth has approved 160 students doing their 14-day quarantine there.

The proposal is criticised by the local council and federal MP Tony Zappia but Premier Marshall says the state’s health authorities and police were central to its formulation and “the health and safety of South Australians is our number one priority.”

Details of the scheme are not complete and late Friday Uni Adelaide advised it will be “several months” before anybody arrives.

As to how many will go where, no one is saying but all providers with international students are eligible. CMM suspects SA will follow the NSW proposal with institutions’ allocation being in proportion to their international numbers. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission agreed to this in NSW on Thursday.

This could augur well for the NSW universities proposal now with Education Minister Alan Tudge but may be hard for other states where governments are inclined to close the borders – Mr Marshall says the feds made keeping SA open to other Australians a condition.

ANU asks the obvious

The Australian National University is putting up mandarins and media quarantining after the G7 in its Davey Lodge (presumable The Lodge, lodge is otherwise occupied, (CMM Friday). Which allows ANU to make an obvious point,

“We look forward to working closely with the Chief Health Officer to develop quarantine options that allow our students to return to the ACT and keep our community safe. … Any co-designed, safe quarantine arrangements would be very welcome.”

But before that happens Canberra’s unis will need a tick from the feds and while approval for Adelaide is nice the Commonwealth agreeing to the NSW proposal would be better. Unless charter flights direct to Canberra are an option.