‘Today we rejoined the world’: hugs, tears and Vegemite as Australia reopens international borders | Australia news | The Guardian
▻https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/feb/21/today-we-rejoined-the-world-hugs-tears-and-vegemite-as-australia-reopen
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‘Today we rejoined the world’: hugs, tears and Vegemite as Australia reopens international borders; There were tears, DJs, Vegemite and drag queens as families, friends and lovers reunited at Sydney airport after the resumption of all international travel to Australia.While a number of expert bodies including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Council have warned against travel to Australia due to soaring Covid-19 case numbers over summer, the federal government has vowed to keep the borders open.The federal minister for trade, tourism and industry, Dan Tehan, who was at the airport on Monday morning, said it was a “great day” for Australia’s tourism industry – battered by years of shutdowns.
“It’s been a party out here at Sydney airport,” Tehan said, a bright blue T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Welcome back” visible underneath his suit jacket.“To see the way people have been united – the hugs, the tears – has been wonderful. The future is looking very, very bright.“I’ll do everything possible to keep the border open.”
At 6.20am, a Qantas flight from Los Angeles was the first to touch down at Sydney airport, marking the end of 704 days of restrictions on international travel.Fifty-six flights were expected to arrive in Australia on Monday, more than half of them landing in Sydney.The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, said there was a “buzz and excitement” in the air as the state rejoined the world.“It’s been a long journey, a long journey through Covid,” he said.“But having our borders open, not just here, but around our country will make a real difference in people’s lives; we’re seeing families being reunited … international students return.“Today we rejoined the world, and what a positive thing it is.”At the arrivals hall, travellers were greeted with koala and kangaroo toys, Vegemite and eucalyptus sprigs, while a DJ atop a bus played Australian hits such as Men at Work’s Down Under and Yothu Yindi’s Treaty.(...)
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