New Zealand travellers are allowed to enter Victoria without quarantining, the Australian state's website says, after it was believed the new travel bubble was breached.
It comes after 55 Kiwis entered the state since Friday, even though a bubble had been established with New South Wales and Northern Territory. The travellers landed in Sydney and then caught a domestic flight to Melbourne.
Victoria doesn't have restrictions on incoming domestic flights while its state borders are open to the rest of Australia.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said he didn't want the state to be in a travel bubble with New Zealand, but Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website was updated on Sunday to show that Kiwis can enter.
"Ultimately, we are in the bubble, whether we like it or not, and that's why the website was updated at 8:30pm last night," he said on Monday.
"Ultimately this bubble applies to the entire country. It would seem now we just have to change our settings, because I think we had rightly assumed that when we were asked 'do you want to be in it' and we said no, we would not be. That is a commonsense position to take.
"Apparently that was not accurate so now we have adjusted our website."
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Victoria didn't have the grounds to turn away the passengers.
The DHHS website now says: "Currently the Victorian borders are open.
"If you are travelling from New Zealand and have passed all relevant immigration and biosecurity requirements as established by the Federal Government, New South Wales Government and Northern Territory Government, then you are able to travel to Victoria. You do not need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Victoria."
Travellers are asked to not visit Victoria if they have any COVID-19 symptoms. They're also warned they'll be subject to health directions and restrictions while in the state and may face heavy penalties if they breach those.
"If you intend to leave Victoria you will also be subject to the requirements of other states and territories in Australia, which may require you to quarantine in that state or territory or you may be refused entry to that state or territory."
DHHS said on Sunday it's spoken to all 55 New Zealanders who travelled to Victoria.
"Twenty-one of the 55 travellers arrived at Melbourne Airport on Friday and Saturday. The remainder arrived using other modes of transport," it said.
"Three of the travellers did not cross the border into Victoria and remain in NSW, and one who was in Victoria returned to NSW today [Sunday]."
DHHS officers are meeting incoming flights at Melbourne Airport to give information to arriving passengers.
Andrews asked Morrison to help identify the travellers who wanted to enter Victoria.
"Work with us and let's make sure Victoria is not part of a bubble that we never agreed to be in," he said.
"Now, if that isn't possible, if that isn't possible, let's talk about what else can happen. I don't want to shut our border."
Acting Federal Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said Victoria's state health website shows people can travel there.
"Their own website expressly says this, and this is why I'm perplexed as to why Daniel Andrews launched such an aggressive attack on us over the weekend," he told radio station 2GB.
"He's raised this issue and said very publicly that we're apparently at fault, when it seems very clear they knew about it, consented to it and their website shows people can do exactly what they did."
On Monday, a further five travellers from New Zealand arrived in Adelaide, South Australia after passing through interstate airports, ABC reported.
South Australia regulations say people can travel into the state directly from ACT, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia without quarantining. Entry via Victoria is currently prohibited except for "essential travellers".
All travellers need to do is register their intention to travel.
