Australia PM sticks with border closure despite business pressure

Scott Morrison says pandemic worse than last year and borders will only reopen when safe.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said it was still not safe to allow residents, even those fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to travel overseas, as industries hit hard by the pandemic press for a faster reopening of international borders. “I understand that everyone is keen to get back to a time that we once knew,” Morrison told reporters on Tuesday “But the reality is we are living this year in a pandemic that is worse than last year.” Morrison said any plans to relax border rules for vaccinated travellers could be implemented “only when it is safe to do so”.