Compulsory Covid testing not required for truckies in Qld-NSW border bubble
© Provided by ABC Health
Truck drivers operating in the Queensland-New South Wales border zone will not have to switch to the more onerous Freight Pass system, according to Queensland Police.
The reinstated border bubble allows teachers, students and retail workers more freedom to travel between the states.
Initially Queensland Police said anyone working in the freight and logistics industry within the border zone would have to use a Freight Pass (F Pass), which requires stringent COVID-19 testing.
Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said police sought clarification from Queensland Health on the matter.
“The current arrangements with the freight operators in the border zone utilizing the X Pass is still standing,” he said.
“There is no change to the current procedures, which is really good news for our local logistics operators who stay in the border zone.”
Jab mandate remains
The bubble means essential workers and students who live in select parts of 12 NSW local government areas (LGAs) can travel into Queensland.
Under the X Pass requirements, freight drivers must have had at least one jab to be eligible to cross into Queensland as essential workers.
“There is, of course, the vaccination requirement — that’s still in play, that hasn’t changed,” Acting Superintendent Wildman said.
“The Freight Pass is more designed for those operators who move back and forwards into COVID hotspots, so that’s outside the border zone.
“That requires a testing regime to be utilized by those drivers.”
Interstate truckies have been under the spotlight, with nine infected drivers entering Queensland from NSW.
Yesterday Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said moves to tighten freight regulations were delegated by the National Cabinet to state transport ministers.
“My understanding is that they are required to be tested every three days,” she said.
“The problem with testing every driver that comes into the state is we have thousands.
“I think we do need to have a good conversation about encouraging those freight drivers to get vaccinated.”
Rapid test push
Transport industry associations around Australia are advocating for the implementation of rapid antigen (RA) testing, which can return a test result in 15 minutes.
Queensland Trucking Association chief executive Gary Mahon said drivers wanted a pragmatic solution.
“I can’t think of any other industry that does more testing that the freight industry,” he said.
“Our drivers are having their tests every two to three days to keep up with the requirements at the borders around the country.
“The problem we have in NSW is the results come through on average every three to four days.
“That’s the gap that we think rapid antigen testing could solve.
“We can’t see why the testing clinics, when you are on journey to Queensland, they couldn’t use an RA test rather than a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test.”
Call for incentives
Mr Mahon said the vaccination rate in the industry was high.
“We think that many of our fleets are actually ahead of the average,” he said.
“But if you put some incentives in place – like reducing the amount of testing required because you’re double vaccinated – we think that would accelerate the rate.”
Acting Chief Superintendent Wildman said testing was a key component in containing the virus.
“Rapid testing is one of those things that obviously, I would dare say, is being considered by the Chief Health officer,” he said.
“That’ll be a Health decision.”
Source: Thanks msn.com