It appears that there may be up to 25,000 Australians, trying to get back to Australia, from overseas
As we all know, they are only allowed back, in dribs and drabs, due to the lack of quarantine facilities
Also, the airlines appear to be price gouging, or at least bumping the economy seats off the list
One State Premier, has suggested that we may be able to use Federal immigration/quarantine/defence facilities, as places of quarantine, to bring the people back quickly
My opinion, is that if we forget about playing politics for a few minutes, and the pollies work together on this problem, that this suggestion has some merit, especially if charter aircraft are used
If they put footy boots and jumpers on, Tony QLD will let them in. They could stay with the 400 that went up from Melbourne.
Sounds sour grapes? Yep.
Travel Bug said
03:05 PM Sep 15, 2020
Dougwe wrote:
If they put footy boots and jumpers on, Tony QLD will let them in. They could stay with the 400 that went up from Melbourne.
Sounds sour grapes? Yep.
Spot on Dougwe!
Like so many others, the border situation has had a huge effect on the lives of myself and my family but we took the view that "rules are rules" and duly complied.
I was ok with the border situation until they started to bend said rules to accommodate millionaires and football players plus fans and assorted hanger ons.
Now I'm sharing that bowl of sour grapes with you mate!
Stay well. Cheers. Pam.
Oooops! Edited for typo.
-- Edited by Travel Bug on Tuesday 15th of September 2020 03:07:41 PM
Travel Bug said
03:17 PM Sep 15, 2020
Tony Bev, that is a good idea!
Hopefully the powers that be will see the sense in it. Fingers crossed!
Whenarewethere said
04:03 PM Sep 15, 2020
Travel Bug wrote:
I was ok with the border situation until they started to bend said rules to accommodate millionaires and football players plus fans and assorted hanger ons.
Nothing has changed!
Sydney, North Head Quarantine Station history:
Wealthy passengers in quarantine were kept in the first class quarters. They had luxurious accommodation, sewing and smoking rooms for ladies and gentlemen, a billiard room, tennis courts and all sorts of entertainment to keep them amused while in isolation & beautiful dining room.
Third class slept in racks of bunks in dormitories. They had to cook their meals on an open fire and eat in an open shed.
Craig1 said
04:51 PM Sep 15, 2020
Maybe they could join Actors Guild
dieseltojo said
04:58 PM Sep 15, 2020
Come on ...why are you getting upset because the rich can stay in better digs than the plebs? I mean what is the goal here? I suggest it is a 14 day lock away period, and that's it.
Look, if a bloke has the dollars to by a Merc is that to be held against him? Merc sale folk need to live too.
Isolation is the key not the manner of isolation. That boat load of rich that went to Qld were ostracized for not isolating and cheating on the public. End of story. A row boat full of plebs would have been no differently fined.
So what is the real cause of the problem would you say. To me it is the fact that the returning, and covid suspected, would not stay home of their own free will. The average bloke is simply not doing the right thing.
So at great expense, limited accommodation etc we have a log jam that has to be in place to ferry the great unwashed through.
All due to the good folks our fellow Australians bot rich and poor that refuse to self isolate cheaply and honestly at home. So it turns out that it is simply the dishonesty of our fellows that create the limitations on our economy, and man power, to run the hotel system.
dabbler said
05:05 PM Sep 15, 2020
Our daughter was studying in Paris when the world caught fire. It was well over a month before she boarded a flight home after several flights were cancelled. We helped her with the cost of business class and would have paid a lot more to get her home. Some of her friends were struck for months br
dabbler said
05:11 PM Sep 15, 2020
Some of her friends were stuck much longer because they simply didn't have access to the needed funds. These people hold return tickets but they are useless and the government has done little to assist their return even in the days when quarantine accommodation wasn't stretched.
The very different issue of the wealthy affording better digs during quarantine is blow out of proportion and is blatant politics. Ignoring Australian citizens is shameful and can't be defended.
Rob Driver said
08:13 PM Sep 15, 2020
dieseltojo wrote:
Come on ...why are you getting upset because the rich can stay in better digs than the plebs? I mean what is the goal here? I suggest it is a 14 day lock away period, and that's it.
Look, if a bloke has the dollars to by a Merc is that to be held against him? Merc sale folk need to live too.
Isolation is the key not the manner of isolation. That boat load of rich that went to Qld were ostracized for not isolating and cheating on the public. End of story. A row boat full of plebs would have been no differently fined.
So what is the real cause of the problem would you say. To me it is the fact that the returning, and covid suspected, would not stay home of their own free will. The average bloke is simply not doing the right thing.
So at great expense, limited accommodation etc we have a log jam that has to be in place to ferry the great unwashed through.
All due to the good folks our fellow Australians bot rich and poor that refuse to self isolate cheaply and honestly at home. So it turns out that it is simply the dishonesty of our fellows that create the limitations on our economy, and man power, to run the hotel system.
Spot on dieseltojo....
While we can not realise all the varying situations that revolve around these Aussies coming back into the country, there are a few things that should be considered.
So, we have an enterprising Aussie head off overseas and grabs a job or a work contract to live in another country and work and receive financial reward in that country. Then the world is attacked by China releasing a virus that is designed to cripple the world.
So, all of a sudden the warm and fuzzy feeling of working and living overseas is not as good as the deal appeared to be prior to moving to that new country.
Lets look at what is going wrong.
In the new country of employment they realise that there is no Medicare, no unemployment benefit, and some dont even get any financial compensation from their employer to either survive the downturn in the new country or to relocate back to Australia. They have difficulty being released from housing rental contracts....everyone wants the money owing to them.
So, all of a sudden there are cries of help to the mother country...Australia.
Well it is easily forgotten that by taking employment in another country you arent required to pay TAX, the MEDICARE LEVY, GST and other rates and taxes that keep our marvellous country going if you were working in this country.
We may all ask what entitles these people to come back into Australia and receive Job Search, Job Start and whatever else they choose to call unemployment benefits when they opted to contribute nothing to our tax and welfare system by their own choice in working overseas.
All of a sudden the great deal for renumeration from employment in this overseas country is really not as good a deal as they hoped it would be and all of a sudden they are in an overseas creek without a paddle hooked up to the Aussie benefits.
So the international borders get closed by one of the few countries that actually have addressed and controlled this Chinese released virus and we collectively and slowly but surely are getting this under control.
Now there are cries...but we are Australians, we have no money and we want to come home.
Well guess what...Australia took people back into the country and TRUSTED them to isolate.
We all know how that turned out, hence the extremely tight security on all of the borders both international and state.
Because of these people and others who were just on a holiday jaunt overseas our isolation facilities are grossly overloaded and that is how it is. The smart people came back straight away and actually cut their losses while others thought that they were going to ride it out in countries that care less about the people.
Now we and they have all realised that this is not going to work for these overseas workers or travellers so now we as taxpayers are just expected to pick up the bill and support these travellers even though our resources are stretched to the limit.
Unfortunately for any of these people it is a fact that money does talk and those who have financial resources are at a definite advantage over those who arent cashed up.
The govt has extended its budget to look after people IN this country and while many of us feel sorry for this waiting in line, unfortunately that is what they have to do.
Our isolation resources are stretched to the limit.
While there may be some compassionate situations today, we have been in lockdown in various forms since March and many have gambled with government decisions
In closing I want it noted that this is Rob Driver posting this and not my lovely wife Angela.
Regards
Rob Driver
Greg 1 said
08:48 PM Sep 15, 2020
Rob I am pretty much on board with you on this.
However, I do think the airlines are taking the proverbial with the situation to a large extent and we should at least look at using places like Christmas Island detention centre to house returning travellers for their quarantine period. The cost could be recovered from them as is hotel quarantine.
That way the cap could be increased somewhat.
dabbler said
12:02 AM Sep 16, 2020
It's a gross simplification to day every Australian citizen stuck o/s has rejected Australia, isn't paying taxes, doesn't have a Medicare equivalent and want to cone home because the want to suck on the govt teet. Most countries expect you to pay taxes when you earn an income and many Australian's working o/s still pay taxes here. Many countries have systems similar to Medicare and it isn't the reason people want to return to home. Not all Australian citizens are actually working o/s, some are actually stuck because things changed so quickly. Almost every Australian citizen wanting to get home would have a useless airline ticket, they always expected to return to Australia. But the airlines are ripping people off, cutting economy seats forcing people into business class and making it very difficult. Some fares are in the order of 20-15 times the unuseable fare they replace. I'll repeat my statement, the Fed govt is acting shamefully by failing to assist citizens to return to this country. It doesn't matter why they are o/s or why they want to return, simple fact is the Fed govt has a duty to Australian citizens everywhere.
Gundog said
09:11 AM Sep 16, 2020
I have only one question for what ever reason you are overseas be it work, holiday or study, why didnt they return home at the onset of Covid 19 ?
You made your decisions now you want the government to bring you home, sorry its called life choices either stay put or fund you own way home.
Governments has spent far too much on the bankcard to bail out the nation/states from poor choices of a virus that has only effected less than 1% of the population, but caused unwarrented pain and suffering to those who lost jobs, their independance and freedom of choice. No matter what arguement you may want to throw up lockdowns, border closures, forcing business to shut will cause more pain and suffering for a longer period and to more people than those infected with the virus.
NSW is the shining light of how to live with the virus, the other states are run by power hungery megalomaniacs who feed their own self importance.
The Belmont Bear said
01:10 PM Sep 16, 2020
dabbler wrote:
It's a gross simplification to day every Australian citizen stuck o/s has rejected Australia, isn't paying taxes, doesn't have a Medicare equivalent and want to cone home because the want to suck on the govt teet. Most countries expect you to pay taxes when you earn an income and many Australian's working o/s still pay taxes here. Many countries have systems similar to Medicare and it isn't the reason people want to return to home. Not all Australian citizens are actually working o/s, some are actually stuck because things changed so quickly. Almost every Australian citizen wanting to get home would have a useless airline ticket, they always expected to return to Australia. But the airlines are ripping people off, cutting economy seats forcing people into business class and making it very difficult. Some fares are in the order of 20-15 times the unuseable fare they replace. I'll repeat my statement, the Fed govt is acting shamefully by failing to assist citizens to return to this country. It doesn't matter why they are o/s or why they want to return, simple fact is the Fed govt has a duty to Australian citizens everywhere.
100% true dabbler it is a gross simplication of the expat situation. I can only comment on my experience as an expat - when the virus first took off in China I had only just left Australia on a 6 month work contract in South Africa. I'm take these contracts to boost our savings as I was retrenched 6 years ago at the age of 58 with only enough redundancy/Super funds to get us through hopefully to a partial pension at 67. Unlike Australia there are countries who have invested in energy and still have a primary aluminium industry, luckily they are willing to pay for the knowledge that discarded fossils like me have accrued after decades of working with this technology. While away I was paid as a consultant by an Australian company into an Australian bank account, I paid local, state and federal taxes in Australia as well as various taxes in the country where I'm residing.
My wife told me in a daily video hook up that the government announced they were closing down all international travel and I had a little over a week to get home. I was one of those lucky ones who was able to change my return ticket and get a seat on one of the last scheduled Qantas fllights out of Joburg, it was actually more of a headache trying to get over to JB from where I was due to South Africa also shutting down. I have never once "cried out for help nor received welfare" from this government nor has the government ever offerred us assistance financial or otherwise. I have now been waiting 7 months for Qantas to reimburse me $6K for a business class ticket that I bought for my wife to come over in April. Remarkable that I was reimbursed for her South African domestic flights and Joburg accomodation months ago and Qantas still can't seem to find the money for their customers who had their flights cancelled through no fault of their own...
No doubt there will be a % of those 25,000 trying to use the covid situation to gain entry but there will also be Aussies still caught up in this because they havent been able to organise to get home. Sydney had to reduce the number of arrivals they let in to 2500/week after being swamped, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide currently accept a max. 500/week, Melbourne and Hobart take zero and Darwin doesn't actually specify a number but its probably not that many. Yes the Federal Government could increase the number of people returning but that doesnt mean landing more flights in Sydney that means other states agreeing to take more of the load or as suggested earlier using Federal facilities like Christams Island..Having said that even with the current limits the current backlog should be able to be cleared in 6 or 7 weeks if flights were available.
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Wednesday 16th of September 2020 01:11:38 PM
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Wednesday 16th of September 2020 01:15:39 PM
Tony LEE said
01:52 PM Sep 16, 2020
There are certainly some difficult situations that some people have ended up in through no real fault of their own due to critical family situations, but they are a small minority and the rest are where they are solely because they chose to be there. They set out on a big adventure and ignored longstanding DFAT advice that they are on their own.
Betty and I spent a couple of years in China including the SARS epidemic that had the entire country in months-long lockdown - including us - and we were fully prepared to look after ourselves, including top tier travel insurance.
More recently we have been motorhoming all over the world at at all times we were fully prepared and able to look after ourselves. In south America it seemed that every second overlander we met were living on instant noodles or tacos, had no backup plans at all and close to zero personal resources - but hey, they were having the adventure of their lifetime. Of course then they were the first to whinge and demand free government rescue flights back home. The goverment kept telling them to come back home while it was still possible- over and over every day for the last 6 months, but they had all sorts of excuses not to and now they are crying foul and claiming their beloved country has abandoned them.
Facts are, they abandoned Australia so....
Whenarewethere said
02:39 PM Sep 16, 2020
People were also told to stay put if you had a secure environment & job. People did, but things changed like here & they lost jobs etc, but it was too late to do anything.
Some people could not get out of contracts.
Paperwork is taking forever & by the time you get it, it is too late, circumstances have changed.
Some were not allowed on planes because they were too pregnant & or children.
Visas expiring with delays getting a new one or they are simply not been renewed or extended.
I have only just received a new English passport (have an Australian one as well), not that I can travel, but is took 5 months. At least the British are doing the best they can & forward dated the expiry date by 5 months, unlike Australia who backdate it to the day you fill the form in, & the British passport was cheaper! Australia is screwing us for every last cent.
dogbox said
02:44 PM Sep 16, 2020
25000 pepole stranded / 4000 allowed to return a week = 6.25 weeks to fix the problem
airlines only allowed to carry limited passengers most expensive seats sold first to cover costs
good plan to allow states to house increase in returned travelers in quarantine. it would seem quite few new cases are from returned travelers
heard the story aussie women and son rejected return to australia as boy friend not allowed to travel later when making noise about not being able to get back was asked what about boy friend ( oh were not together anymore ) missed opportunity
beiffe said
12:01 PM Sep 18, 2020
Perhaps they could send them all to the ACT. Plenty of motels and then they have those big houses on the top of the hill doing nothing.
We have worked hard in SA to hold the virus at bay to now have the possibility of it being returned to the Victorian situation because people did not come back in the time allocated. Its a fact of live that you have to live by your decisions. When you make the wrong one its bad titties you have to claw back and these people should now just keep themselves as safe as possible and wait it out and that could be a year or more.
We need all our finances to look after the people her in Australia. No little million or so to this group or country, Our country is borrowing money to keep us going so time to bite the bullet and pull the belt in.
dogbox said
01:07 PM Sep 18, 2020
some had booked return flights that have since been cancelled a case of bad luck and bad planning
dabbler said
09:20 PM Sep 18, 2020
bieffe, anyone returning to Australia will face mandatory quarantine at their own cost. They won't be able to pick and choose where they quarantine (unless they have the money) and they can't do a Maccas run. Yes, there have been disasters but surely we've learnt something about handling returning passengers by now. People are stuck overseas because our Govt closed off international arrivals and airlines are bumping passengers and demanding outrageous fares. The idea it was somehow their choice is naive to put it politely. The idea that we should abandon our citizens outside our borders is appalling. There are some expat Australians quite happy to remain where they are right now (and some of them are paying taxes here) but there are also many Australians who want to return home and are caught in a cycle beyond their control.
The Belmont Bear said
07:51 AM Sep 19, 2020
A great solution to this problem was announced yesterday - the WA, SA and Qld governments are going to increase their intake to 500 people a week up from the current 300 but they will need some time to get organised. Sydney on the other hand will increase immediately by 500 to 3000 - keep in mind that 40% of people returning to Australia come from other states and territories. A little ironic that NSW is considered to be such a high risk place that the borders are closed yet the other states and territories are only too happy to let us accept the risk that comes with processing their residents. Anyhow these people need to get home and if it means coming through Sydney so be it - maybe positive cases that arrive here should be accredited to their state of residence rather than NSW then we wouldn't look as bad when people start throwing around the number of new cases in each state..Easy solution to your passport problem Whenarewethere get rid of one of them I've travelled to far flung places all over the world and never had an issue when with my Aussie passport....
BB
Whenarewethere said
08:21 AM Sep 19, 2020
With a British passport I got waved through with some border checking in Europe & into UK. On one trip with my Sister & her kids it was a pain with their Australian passports as she had let her British passport lapse!
The British have now shot themselves in the feet!
The Belmont Bear said
03:53 PM Sep 19, 2020
Whenarewethere wrote:
With a British passport I got waved through with some border checking in Europe & into UK. On one trip with my Sister & her kids it was a pain with their Australian passports as she had let her British passport lapse!
The British have now shot themselves in the feet!
I worked in France and sometimes travelled to London on the TGV our Aussie passports were checked in Lille and we were waved straight through. I would suggest that in France with a British passport you would be at more at risk of getting a hardtime than I was because they dont like the British very much even less with Brexit. For example in Dunkirk I actually told a waiter who was being a little rude that I wasn't English I was an Aussie and straight away his whole attitude changed. An older couple who were sitting at the next table overheard this exchange and saw the waiter become very friendly with us so they told him that they weren't English either they were Scotish - didn't make any difference for them . The only advantage I see with a British Passport is when you first arrive you could get into the EU residents queue and save yourself some time unfortunately with the Brexit now that will only be when you are arriving in Britain.
BB
dabbler said
06:09 PM Sep 19, 2020
When I first started travelling o/s, i was advised to display a kangaroo and not the Aussie flag on bags and travelling paraphernalia. It certainly made a difference in larger places in France. Being typical Aussies, we visited summer spots in mid-winter slow season and the people were friendly to everyone.
Tony Bev said
02:07 PM Sep 20, 2020
To get back to the main topic
Further research (err surfing the net), tells me that Defence areas are not suitable for quarantine, as they have shared facilities
Also Rottnest Island, which is more or less controlled by WA Govt department, needed a few weeks warning, as a lot of families, had booked for school holidays
It makes me wonder, if Christmas Island, could be suitable to house all the returning overseas travellers, doing quarantine
With dedicated air transport, going from Christmas Island to one only State/Territory, to avoid any cross transmission
Greg 1 said
03:14 PM Sep 20, 2020
I don't believe that Christmas Island on it's own could house everyone returning but that facility along with other Federal government facilities should be used.
The Federal government is demanding that the States take responsibility for this when border control is a Federal issue not States. Scomo keeps dodging his duties.
It appears that there may be up to 25,000 Australians, trying to get back to Australia, from overseas
As we all know, they are only allowed back, in dribs and drabs, due to the lack of quarantine facilities
Also, the airlines appear to be price gouging, or at least bumping the economy seats off the list
One State Premier, has suggested that we may be able to use Federal immigration/quarantine/defence facilities, as places of quarantine, to bring the people back quickly
My opinion, is that if we forget about playing politics for a few minutes, and the pollies work together on this problem, that this suggestion has some merit, especially if charter aircraft are used
Link to the story below
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-15/wa-could-take-more-international-arrivals-detention-centres/12664460
Sounds sour grapes? Yep.
Spot on Dougwe!
Like so many others, the border situation has had a huge effect on the lives of myself and my family but we took the view that "rules are rules" and duly complied.
I was ok with the border situation until they started to bend said rules to accommodate millionaires and football players plus fans and assorted hanger ons.
Now I'm sharing that bowl of sour grapes with you mate!
Stay well. Cheers. Pam.
Oooops! Edited for typo.
-- Edited by Travel Bug on Tuesday 15th of September 2020 03:07:41 PM
Tony Bev, that is a good idea!
Hopefully the powers that be will see the sense in it. Fingers crossed!
Nothing has changed!
Sydney, North Head Quarantine Station history:
Wealthy passengers in quarantine were kept in the first class quarters. They had luxurious accommodation, sewing and smoking rooms for ladies and gentlemen, a billiard room, tennis courts and all sorts of entertainment to keep them amused while in isolation & beautiful dining room.
Third class slept in racks of bunks in dormitories. They had to cook their meals on an open fire and eat in an open shed.
Come on ...why are you getting upset because the rich can stay in better digs than the plebs? I mean what is the goal here? I suggest it is a 14 day lock away period, and that's it.
Look, if a bloke has the dollars to by a Merc is that to be held against him? Merc sale folk need to live too.
Isolation is the key not the manner of isolation. That boat load of rich that went to Qld were ostracized for not isolating and cheating on the public. End of story. A row boat full of plebs would have been no differently fined.
So what is the real cause of the problem would you say. To me it is the fact that the returning, and covid suspected, would not stay home of their own free will. The average bloke is simply not doing the right thing.
So at great expense, limited accommodation etc we have a log jam that has to be in place to ferry the great unwashed through.
All due to the good folks our fellow Australians bot rich and poor that refuse to self isolate cheaply and honestly at home. So it turns out that it is simply the dishonesty of our fellows that create the limitations on our economy, and man power, to run the hotel system.
Spot on dieseltojo....
While we can not realise all the varying situations that revolve around these Aussies coming back into the country, there are a few things that should be considered.
So, we have an enterprising Aussie head off overseas and grabs a job or a work contract to live in another country and work and receive financial reward in that country. Then the world is attacked by China releasing a virus that is designed to cripple the world.
So, all of a sudden the warm and fuzzy feeling of working and living overseas is not as good as the deal appeared to be prior to moving to that new country.
Lets look at what is going wrong.
In the new country of employment they realise that there is no Medicare, no unemployment benefit, and some dont even get any financial compensation from their employer to either survive the downturn in the new country or to relocate back to Australia. They have difficulty being released from housing rental contracts....everyone wants the money owing to them.
So, all of a sudden there are cries of help to the mother country...Australia.
Well it is easily forgotten that by taking employment in another country you arent required to pay TAX, the MEDICARE LEVY, GST and other rates and taxes that keep our marvellous country going if you were working in this country.
We may all ask what entitles these people to come back into Australia and receive Job Search, Job Start and whatever else they choose to call unemployment benefits when they opted to contribute nothing to our tax and welfare system by their own choice in working overseas.
All of a sudden the great deal for renumeration from employment in this overseas country is really not as good a deal as they hoped it would be and all of a sudden they are in an overseas creek without a paddle hooked up to the Aussie benefits.
So the international borders get closed by one of the few countries that actually have addressed and controlled this Chinese released virus and we collectively and slowly but surely are getting this under control.
Now there are cries...but we are Australians, we have no money and we want to come home.
Well guess what...Australia took people back into the country and TRUSTED them to isolate.
We all know how that turned out, hence the extremely tight security on all of the borders both international and state.
Because of these people and others who were just on a holiday jaunt overseas our isolation facilities are grossly overloaded and that is how it is. The smart people came back straight away and actually cut their losses while others thought that they were going to ride it out in countries that care less about the people.
Now we and they have all realised that this is not going to work for these overseas workers or travellers so now we as taxpayers are just expected to pick up the bill and support these travellers even though our resources are stretched to the limit.
Unfortunately for any of these people it is a fact that money does talk and those who have financial resources are at a definite advantage over those who arent cashed up.
The govt has extended its budget to look after people IN this country and while many of us feel sorry for this waiting in line, unfortunately that is what they have to do.
Our isolation resources are stretched to the limit.
While there may be some compassionate situations today, we have been in lockdown in various forms since March and many have gambled with government decisions
In closing I want it noted that this is Rob Driver posting this and not my lovely wife Angela.
Regards
Rob Driver
I have only one question for what ever reason you are overseas be it work, holiday or study, why didnt they return home at the onset of Covid 19 ?
You made your decisions now you want the government to bring you home, sorry its called life choices either stay put or fund you own way home.
Governments has spent far too much on the bankcard to bail out the nation/states from poor choices of a virus that has only effected less than 1% of the population, but caused unwarrented pain and suffering to those who lost jobs, their independance and freedom of choice. No matter what arguement you may want to throw up lockdowns, border closures, forcing business to shut will cause more pain and suffering for a longer period and to more people than those infected with the virus.
NSW is the shining light of how to live with the virus, the other states are run by power hungery megalomaniacs who feed their own self importance.
100% true dabbler it is a gross simplication of the expat situation. I can only comment on my experience as an expat - when the virus first took off in China I had only just left Australia on a 6 month work contract in South Africa. I'm take these contracts to boost our savings as I was retrenched 6 years ago at the age of 58 with only enough redundancy/Super funds to get us through hopefully to a partial pension at 67. Unlike Australia there are countries who have invested in energy and still have a primary aluminium industry, luckily they are willing to pay for the knowledge that discarded fossils like me have accrued after decades of working with this technology. While away I was paid as a consultant by an Australian company into an Australian bank account, I paid local, state and federal taxes in Australia as well as various taxes in the country where I'm residing.
My wife told me in a daily video hook up that the government announced they were closing down all international travel and I had a little over a week to get home. I was one of those lucky ones who was able to change my return ticket and get a seat on one of the last scheduled Qantas fllights out of Joburg, it was actually more of a headache trying to get over to JB from where I was due to South Africa also shutting down. I have never once "cried out for help nor received welfare" from this government nor has the government ever offerred us assistance financial or otherwise. I have now been waiting 7 months for Qantas to reimburse me $6K for a business class ticket that I bought for my wife to come over in April. Remarkable that I was reimbursed for her South African domestic flights and Joburg accomodation months ago and Qantas still can't seem to find the money for their customers who had their flights cancelled through no fault of their own...
No doubt there will be a % of those 25,000 trying to use the covid situation to gain entry but there will also be Aussies still caught up in this because they havent been able to organise to get home. Sydney had to reduce the number of arrivals they let in to 2500/week after being swamped, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide currently accept a max. 500/week, Melbourne and Hobart take zero and Darwin doesn't actually specify a number but its probably not that many. Yes the Federal Government could increase the number of people returning but that doesnt mean landing more flights in Sydney that means other states agreeing to take more of the load or as suggested earlier using Federal facilities like Christams Island..Having said that even with the current limits the current backlog should be able to be cleared in 6 or 7 weeks if flights were available.
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Wednesday 16th of September 2020 01:11:38 PM
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Wednesday 16th of September 2020 01:15:39 PM
Betty and I spent a couple of years in China including the SARS epidemic that had the entire country in months-long lockdown - including us - and we were fully prepared to look after ourselves, including top tier travel insurance.
More recently we have been motorhoming all over the world at at all times we were fully prepared and able to look after ourselves. In south America it seemed that every second overlander we met were living on instant noodles or tacos, had no backup plans at all and close to zero personal resources - but hey, they were having the adventure of their lifetime. Of course then they were the first to whinge and demand free government rescue flights back home. The goverment kept telling them to come back home while it was still possible- over and over every day for the last 6 months, but they had all sorts of excuses not to and now they are crying foul and claiming their beloved country has abandoned them.
Facts are, they abandoned Australia so....
People were also told to stay put if you had a secure environment & job. People did, but things changed like here & they lost jobs etc, but it was too late to do anything.
Some people could not get out of contracts.
Paperwork is taking forever & by the time you get it, it is too late, circumstances have changed.
Some were not allowed on planes because they were too pregnant & or children.
Visas expiring with delays getting a new one or they are simply not been renewed or extended.
I have only just received a new English passport (have an Australian one as well), not that I can travel, but is took 5 months. At least the British are doing the best they can & forward dated the expiry date by 5 months, unlike Australia who backdate it to the day you fill the form in, & the British passport was cheaper! Australia is screwing us for every last cent.
airlines only allowed to carry limited passengers most expensive seats sold first to cover costs
good plan to allow states to house increase in returned travelers in quarantine. it would seem quite few new cases are from returned travelers
heard the story aussie women and son rejected return to australia as boy friend not allowed to travel later when making noise about not being able to get back was asked what about boy friend ( oh were not together anymore ) missed opportunity
We have worked hard in SA to hold the virus at bay to now have the possibility of it being returned to the Victorian situation because people did not come back in the time allocated. Its a fact of live that you have to live by your decisions. When you make the wrong one its bad titties you have to claw back and these people should now just keep themselves as safe as possible and wait it out and that could be a year or more.
We need all our finances to look after the people her in Australia. No little million or so to this group or country, Our country is borrowing money to keep us going so time to bite the bullet and pull the belt in.
A great solution to this problem was announced yesterday - the WA, SA and Qld governments are going to increase their intake to 500 people a week up from the current 300 but they will need some time to get organised. Sydney on the other hand will increase immediately by 500 to 3000 - keep in mind that 40% of people returning to Australia come from other states and territories. A little ironic that NSW is considered to be such a high risk place that the borders are closed yet the other states and territories are only too happy to let us accept the risk that comes with processing their residents. Anyhow these people need to get home and if it means coming through Sydney so be it - maybe positive cases that arrive here should be accredited to their state of residence rather than NSW then we wouldn't look as bad when people start throwing around the number of new cases in each state..Easy solution to your passport problem Whenarewethere get rid of one of them I've travelled to far flung places all over the world and never had an issue when with my Aussie passport....
BB
With a British passport I got waved through with some border checking in Europe & into UK. On one trip with my Sister & her kids it was a pain with their Australian passports as she had let her British passport lapse!
The British have now shot themselves in the feet!
I worked in France and sometimes travelled to London on the TGV our Aussie passports were checked in Lille and we were waved straight through. I would suggest that in France with a British passport you would be at more at risk of getting a hardtime than I was because they dont like the British very much even less with Brexit. For example in Dunkirk I actually told a waiter who was being a little rude that I wasn't English I was an Aussie and straight away his whole attitude changed. An older couple who were sitting at the next table overheard this exchange and saw the waiter become very friendly with us so they told him that they weren't English either they were Scotish - didn't make any difference for them
. The only advantage I see with a British Passport is when you first arrive you could get into the EU residents queue and save yourself some time unfortunately with the Brexit now that will only be when you are arriving in Britain.
BB
Further research (err surfing the net), tells me that Defence areas are not suitable for quarantine, as they have shared facilities
Also Rottnest Island, which is more or less controlled by WA Govt department, needed a few weeks warning, as a lot of families, had booked for school holidays
It makes me wonder, if Christmas Island, could be suitable to house all the returning overseas travellers, doing quarantine
With dedicated air transport, going from Christmas Island to one only State/Territory, to avoid any cross transmission