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All non-essential travellers who arrive in Tasmania after midnight on Sunday will be placed into a Government-operated facility, Premier Peter Gutwein has announced.
The new rules apply to both interstate visitors and Tasmanians returning home.
The facility will be operated by Communities Tasmania and managed by Tasmania Police with support from the Australian Defence Force, Mr Gutwein said.
"Any non-essential traveller arriving in the state, either through our airports or through our ferry port, will be placed into self-quarantine for 14 days in a government-run facility," he said.
Mr Gutwein said he made "no apologies" for the new laws.
"[These new measures] will be the toughest in the country. We need to ensure that we protect Tasmanian lives," he said.
"Fortress Tasmania is what we want."
Facilities will be established in the state's north, north-west and south.
It follows the announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday that any Australian returning from overseas would be isolated in a hotel or government facility for a fortnight.
Health worker diagnosis a 'wake-up call'
Mr Gutwein said the news yesterday that a health worker had become infected should be "a wake-up call for Tasmanians".
"The events of yesterday should send a signal to Tasmanians that we are not immune from this," he said.
"We can only beat this virus if everyone plays their part. Stay home unless you absolutely need to go out. If you're not going to work, if you're not taking your children to school, if you're not out buying supplies, stay home."
What the experts are saying about coronavirus:
He urged people to take self-isolation seriously and said there had been 730 compliance checks so far.
"The vast majority of Tasmanians are doing the right thing. Eighteen people weren't, out of 730. We're currently working through those individual circumstances," he said.
"Anybody found to be blatantly breaching those rules will be charged and summoned. Understand that this is serious.
"If you're asked to go into self-isolation then you need to stay in self-isolation. This is not a game, this is about ensuring that we save Tasmanians lives."
Beachgoers warned about forming large groups
Despite the Premier's warnings, people flocked to Tasmanian beaches to enjoy the autumn warmth.
"Today, the weather is going to be reasonable and I'm sure that people will be thinking about a visit to the beach. If you congregate in groups of more than 10 then you will be committing an offence," Mr Gutwein said.
"My advice is don't run the risk. Don't go. If you want to sit out in the sun, sit out in the sun in your backyard."
Women charged with stealing hand sanitiser
Two women have been charged with stealing six bottles of hand sanitiser from the Mersey Community Hospital on Wednesday.
Tasmania Police said two Devonport women, aged 34 and 30, had their respective homes searched and the bottles of sanitiser were recovered.
The women have been bailed to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court on 28 July.
Tasmania now has 59 coronavirus cases with 12 more identified overnight.
Topics: covid-19, health, healthcare-facilities, doctors-and-medical-professionals, state-parliament, latrobe-7307, hobart-7000, launceston-7250, tas
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