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political reporter Henry Belot

Return of international tourists 'very close', says Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews says reopening the borders to international tourists is a "priority".

International tourists could return to Australia in the coming weeks, with Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews describing the decision as imminent, pending final health advice.

It has been almost two years since the nation's international border was closed and the tourism sector has been hit hard by both the drop in revenue from overseas visitors and domestic border closures.

Federal Government's national security committee will meet on Monday to discuss the issue and the latest information from health experts.

"That is a priority for us," Ms Andrews told Insiders.

The government has already received preliminary advice that some international arrival restrictions are no longer necessary, given high vaccination rates across the country.

Government sources say Omicron case numbers are beginning to decline in almost all jurisdictions, apart from Western Australia, although the number of deaths remains high.

Ms Andrews said international tourists who do not meet the COVID-19 safety precautions could be deported, drawing comparisons to tennis star Novak Djokovic's case.

"To be able to enter Australia, if you are a non-Australian, you need to have a valid visa and you need to demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated or that you have medical evidence to say that you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons," Ms Andrews said.

"If you speak, specifically, about Mr Djokovic, the issue was he couldn't prove that he had a medical reason for not being vaccinated."

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