Tough new travel measures on domestic and international flights amid Australia declared Greater Brisbane as a hotspot on a 'Commonwealth level'

A part of the fights against a new mutant strain of COVID-19, Australia will lower the cap on the number of international arrivals and introduce additional rules and conditions related to air travel, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.

Mr Morrison said the national cabinet had decided on Friday to take "a number of actions" that relate to quarantine and flights to "reduce and de-bulk the risk in terms of exposure to the new UK strain".

The Commonwealth has declared Brisbane a hotspot, after a cleaner who worked in a hotel quarantine tested positive for the UK strain.

“The Brisbane hot spot, as we are declaring it at a Commonwealth level – it is different to a normal definition we’d apply to hot spots,’’ Mr Morrison said.

He also issued a strong warning to holiday-makers in Queensland and interstate to “stay where you are”.

Australia will mandate the pre-flight testing of international travellers and flight crew, require masks on all domestic and international flights, but leave the international borders open.

The testing will take place 72 hours before travellers get on the plane. Flight crew will also be tested on more regular basis.

Testing of all hotel quarantine staff in Australia will be conducted on a daily basis

But despite Queensland “pushing hard” for a temporary ban on travellers from the UK, the National Cabinet has agreed to a suite of measures more in line with Victoria’s calls to strengthen “end to end” protections in international air travel

The Prime Minister said the idea that you could simply suspend travel from Britain and keep the virus out of Australia was a ‘false hope’.

“And so the idea that it somehow can be contained just out of the United Kingdom is a false hope. As I said, 80 per cent of the Australians looking to come back are in countries that have had exposure to that strain of the virus.”

However, in the short-term Australia will reduce the caps on international arrivals into Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

“Individuals – including travellers and staff – must undertake measures for infection prevention and control for international travel,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“That includes passengers to wear masks throughout international flights, crew to wear masks and other personal protective equipment where appropriate, airlines to have appropriate infection prevention and control measures on-board aircraft, all individuals within Australian and international airport environments to wear a mask.

“Passengers should wear masks while in international airports overseas. International air crew must undergo a COVID-19 test in Australia every seven days or on arrival.”

Mask-wearing will be mandatory on all domestic and international flights excluding children aged under the age of 12.