Australia could drop pre-departure test requirement soon says Scott Morrison

Australia could be dropping pre-travel testing very soon according to a hint from prime minister Scott Morrison.

Speaking in Cairns yesterday, Morrison announced a A$60m tourism package dedicated to helping regions hit hard by pandemic border closures.

He then said major updates would be made very soon about travel restrictions.

"In the very near future the health minister will be making some further announcements about things, particularly involving pre-testing of flights for those getting on flights to come to Australia," Morrison said.

"That will be an important milestone that's not too far away from us now."

Most of the country reopened to international visitors on February 21. Western Australia opened later on March 3.

However, currently, international visitors must be fully vaccinated and take a PCR test within 72 hours or a RAT no more than 24 hours before departure.

Unvaccinated foreign travellers require a special exemption in order to visit.

At the Cairns event, Morrison said the new package was designed to get international travellers flying down under to visit.

"As the world reopens, and travellers get out and see the world again, we want to ensure that at the top of every must-see-list is Australia," he said.

"I have been listening to tourism industry operators about what they will need to rebuild their international tourist businesses and this funding boost will deliver on these needs.

"The return of our international tourism market will support hundreds of thousands of tourism jobs, strengthen our economy, and back our world-class tourism operators and the many regions reliant on international visitors, like tropical North Queensland."

The majority of the government package will go to Tourism Australia and be used to encourage tourists to visit areas around the country struggling from lack of tourists.

Around AU$15 million has been set aside for Tourism Tropical North Queensland to promote the Great Barrier Reef and nearby attractions to international visitors.