Sydney is scrapping mandatory quarantine for overseas travellers from next month, officials said, signalling a faster-than-expected end to tough coronavirus restrictions.
Australia's borders have been closed for the last 19 months to prevent the spread of Covid-19, stranding tens of thousands of Australians overseas and leading critics to dub the country a "hermit state".
Currently, anyone who enters Australia has to qualify for an exemption to travel and fork out many thousands of dollars to be locked in a hotel room for 14 days.
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said that, from 1 November, fully vaccinated travellers to the state will have to test negative before getting on the plane, but would not have to quarantine at all on