Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I'm very happy to add to the response just given by the Prime Minister. What we have implemented is a multilayered approach to making sure that we have in place the appropriate checks and balances to ensure that when people enter this country they do have the appropriate vaccination status and certification. Prior to uplift, an individual passenger or a family have to make sure that they have a negative PCR test available. That is checked on check-in by the airline, which also checks that every individual or every member of the family who's transiting or coming through to Australia has the appropriate vaccination status. That is the first part of the process.

Of course, when they arrive in Australia we make sure that the appropriate checks and balances are in place to ensure that these people have the appropriate vaccination status. That includes checks by the Australian Border Force. I have to say that the Australian Border Force has been exemplary in the work it has done, first, to ensure that our borders are open and that we are in a position to be able to welcome back people to Australia as soon as we possibly can and as soon as it is safe for us to do so. The Border Force has worked very consistently for a number of months to make sure that everything that is needed is in place to ensure that people who arrive in Australia have been able to demonstrate the negative PCR test and that they have the appropriate vaccination status.

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