Highlights
- Australian states and territories agree to increase caps on international arrivals
- Caps on international arrivals will be increased in a phased manner starting from 27 September
- Australians and exempt temporary visa holders stranded in India seek complete removal of caps
Mr Morrison said the number of returning travellers will be boosted to allow the return of nearly 6,000 Australians each week, up from the existing cap of 4,000 that was introduced in mid-July amid escalating coronavirus situation in Victoria and concerns of contagion in other states.
Mr Morrison said the time has come to lift caps and bring Australians home, but the process of repatriation will be undertaken in a “staged way.”
“New South Wales will move - take an additional 500 by Monday week, so that's 27 September. Queensland and Western Australia, on that same day, will be taking an additional 200 per week from 27 September.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks following a National Cabinet meeting on 18 September. Source: AAP
“By 4 October, Queensland will then move to that 400-500 extra. So, they'll increase it by 300 again. And by 11 October, WA will also go to that 500 extra a week,” the prime minister told the media after the national cabinet meeting on Friday.
South Australia has already agreed to increase its capacity by 360 per week.
‘1500 to 2000 more will not make a difference’
More than 600,000 residents have returned to Australia ever since the coronavirus prompted the government to close its international borders.
But there are still over 24,000 Australians living overseas who are anxiously waiting for their turn to return home, out of which at least 10,000 are reportedly stranded in India alone.
Melbourne man Prabhjot Singh Sidhu’s aged parents remain stranded in the northern Indian state of Punjab for past eight months.
Prabhjot Singh Sidhu with his family. Source: Supplied
The 36-year-old said he has not been able to secure flight tickets for his parents as there are limited flights operating between the two countries and thousands vying for 50 odd seats on those numbered flights.
“Thousands of Australians are stuck in India alone and even if the government increases the cap by 1500 to 2,000, it won’t make much of a difference if you break down this number for each country where Australians are stranded,” he said.
Mr Sidhu said he is most concerned for his father’s health who suffered a cardiac arrest last year.
“My dad is in his 60's and has a heart ailment. He is on medications and needs a check-up every three months when the cardiologist changes his medicines. Now it’s been months since his last follow-up, which is making me anxious.
“The other problem is that even if the caps have been increased, Melbourne is not on the list. If this goes on, the process can drag well into next year to bring all Australians from overseas home,” he said.
‘Repatriation of Australians is a national responsibility’
Mounting pressure on the Morrison government, Opposition leader Anthony Albanese today demanded the federal government to swing into action. He said repatriation Australians is not the job of the states but is a “national responsibility.”
“This is a national responsibility. Some people may think it's acceptable for the national leader of this country to pass off that responsibility to the states as if it's nothing to do with him. I, as the alternative leader of Australia, not of a state, would not conduct myself in such a way,” he said during a press conference.
Australian ex-pat Deborah Tellis who has been living in Bengaluru in south India along with her 16-year-old daughter for the past five years has been trying to return home in NSW ever since her long-term teaching contract came to an end in the month of May.
Deborah Tellis with her daughter Eysha Tellis Source: Supplied
“We had the tickets with Qatar Airways, but I was bumped off the flight twice now. They told me they can’t sell more tickets until the caps are lifted which is when they will catch up with people and perhaps honour their tickets,” she said.
Ms Tellis questioned the government’s rationale of making a decision on caps based on the states and territories quarantine arrangements.
“I don’t know why they are using quarantine capacity of the states as an excuse to delay the return of Australians stranded overseas. Up until July, thousands of people made it home and were quarantined at hotels. Now all of a sudden those facilities can’t cope? It’s ridiculous to say they can’t handle it,” she added.
Impact on temporary visa holders with exemption approvals:
Also feeling the pinch is an increasing number of temporary visa holders in India who have received exemptions from the travel ban, some of whom have succeeded after seeking exemptions on multiple occasions.
One of them is Shiwani Verma who had travelled to India days before the borders closed to attend to her ailing mother. The 25-year-old who received approval to her request for exemption said the caps are proving to be a bigger hurdle than getting an exemption.
“First we had to go through the ordeal of getting an exemption and now we have to sit and wait for return flights as there are hardly any thanks to the caps. But I am glad that the government has at least started to think about our flight after abandoning us for so long,” she said.
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If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
