One of the last remaining Covid restrictions could finally be scrapped to help revive the economy in NSW

Vaccine and mask mandates could soon be lifted on cruise ships in NSW in a bid to revive the multi-billion dollar injection into the tourism economy.

The NSW government is urging a key federal advisory body to approve requirements that passengers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks while boarding and disembarking.

The rules remain in place on the east coast and Western Australia after an agreement was reached in the national cabinet earlier during the pandemic.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was confident the state could safely withdraw the mandates following advice from health officials.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, made up of federal and state chief health officials, is expected to make a decision in the coming days paving the way for NSW to formally scrap the rules.

“Frankly, many of those rules were seemingly arcane and didn’t apply to any other part of life or business in Sydney,” Mr Minns said on Wednesday.

“Since these restrictions don’t apply to airports and other parts of the transportation economy, they shouldn’t apply to cruise ships either.”

With many cruise ships docking at multiple ports across the country, Minns said he hoped other states wouldn’t follow suit.

“I think everyone recognizes that we are not in the middle of 2021 or in the depths of the COVID pandemic,” he said.

“I am hopeful that the other states will soon join this change and join NSW.”

Mr Minns said the state needed to send a signal, especially to international visitors, that life in NSW was back to normal.

“We want them to have fun, spend money and stimulate the economy here in Sydney and Australia,” he said.