The Queensland Government will allow double vaccinated international students into the state, for first semester starts

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe announced yesterday that, for starters, 250 students a week will be able to fly in from the start of the new year. They will sit-out a two-week quarantine at the new Wellcamp facility at Toowoomba. And when the state reaches 90 per cent double vax the government will look at the quarantine requirement.

Uni Queensland VC Deborah Terry welcomed the announcement yesterday, saying international students who need to do pracs and placements to complete their degrees will be priorities.

She was careful to add the plan, “keeps our communities safe and does not interfere with the return of Australian citizens and residents.”

SA set to go

South Australian vice chancellors are also pleased with the state government plan to allow double vaxed international arrivals to sit-out a seven day  quarantine from November 23 and no isolation at all, once 90 per cent of South Australians over 12 are fully vaccinated, which is expected to before Christmas.

Flinders VC Colin Stirling, speaking for all three public university chiefs welcomed the state government’s “pragmatic approach”.

“This is a strong signal to the many students who need to return to complete their studies, that they will soon be able to do so.”

Professor Stirling said if the plan holds, international students now offshore could be back for the start of the 2022 academic year.

And now there are four – there needs to be five: Yesterday’s announcements follow NSW and the ACT committing to internationals returning, (CMM October 18 and 25).

Which piles the pressure on the Commonwealth, to come up with a system to ensure arriving international students are double jabbed with an Australian-approved vaccine. The Morrison Government will also cop the blame and pain if  a system to do this fails.