COVID-19: Queensland’s new Travel Declaration. Could they design something more confusing?

From 1 am on Saturday 19 June (tomorrow!) Queensland is introducing possibly the most complex system for interstate (and overseas) travellers wishing to enter the state.

Where do I begin! OK, first, I’m going to send you to the Travel Declaration page for Queensland. You need to visit this at least 3 days before you travel. The good news is it will take you 3 minutes to complete, and you will get a response by email almost immediately.

The bad news is which declaration you need to complete – either the Travel Declaration or the Border Declaration Pass will depend on some complex circumstances.

Travel Declaration

This is intended to enable Queensland officials to contact you quickly if you have been in an exposure venue or hotspot. The type of declaration you need to complete depends on where you have been in the last 14 days, and this is where it gets complex. You will need to become familiar with ‘hotspots’ and ‘exposure venues‘ Also, the last update to the page as I write was 11 June, and cases in Sydney have occurred since them, so check for changes!

Also – you need to complete the declaration even if you are a Queenslander returning from interstate or New Zealand.

What it all means

If you haven’t been to a hotspot or exposure venue, sit back and relax. You will get a ‘Green Travel Declaration’. You should be in like Flynn. If you have been near a hotspot or exposure venue, then prepare yourself. You are looking at testing at various times, probably self-isolation or quarantine at you own expense. You will be awarded an orange pass. It all depends on whether you enter before or after something called the ‘identified date’.

Basically, if you have been to a hotspot – after the identified date – expect quarantine. If before, then you have to wait out to what would be 14 days since your exposure at a suitable isolation venue. If you visited after the ‘identified date’ – head straight to 14 days quarantine, do not pass go.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

I’m going to stop there before I confuse you more than the Queensland Government website does. Suffice to say, there are some exceptions and some grey areas. You are best off checking the government website – or not visiting Queensland.