The plight of Australians trapped overseas has prompted a Labor senator to break down in tears amid fears they won’t be able to return home by Christmas as the Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged.
Lashing out at the decision to offer former Finance Minister Mathias Cormann a private plane to travel around Europe to pursue an OECD job, Labor’s deputy Senate leader Kristina Keneally wept after hearing evidence from families trapped overseas.
“Time is running out for stranded Australians to get back to Australia in time for Christmas as Scott Morrison promised they would,’’ Senator Keneally said.
“This looks like another announcement the PM won’t deliver on.”
On 18 September, after the number of stranded Australians rose from 18,000 to 26,000 in just two weeks, Senator Keneally said the Prime Minister promised that every Australian would be home by Christmas.
But two months later, the number of stranded Australians has gone up, not down, with more than 35,000 Australians stuck overseas.
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Speaking in Canberra, the Prime Minister said Australia was doing “everything we can” to get families home.
“Of course we want to see Australians get home,’’ he said.
“About 35,000 have arrived back in Australia by now. And there will be more who arrive home in Australia by the end of the year. So in relation to the commitment I made at the time, I think we have been making good progress against that.
“Obviously, the ability to get people home to Australia depends on the available quarantine capacity in Australia. As you know, the state governments have requested to have caps on the number of Australians and arrivals.
“So far, there are just under 27,000 we wanted to get home, 35,000 have already come home but more and more Australians are looking to get home. Many of those have recently told us they can come back next year.”
But Senator Keneally drew a clear link with the decision to offer former Finance Minister Mathias Cormann a taxpayer funded jet to secure support for the role of OECD secretary-general.
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“I’m furious with this Government and the extravagance of funding. Mathias Cormann and his airplane – one set of rules for them, every else gets left behind,’’ she said.
Earlier, Scott Morrison was called out by broadcaster Alan Jones for declaring there’s “no alternative” to hotel quarantine and then promptly dodging it himself.
Sky News host Alan Jones has pointed to a double standard in international travel, with the Prime Minister seemingly going against his own comments on quarantine.
Mr Jones pointed out that after the last national cabinet meeting, Mr Morrison said there was “no alternative” to hotel quarantine.
“He seems to have found one,” he said as he questioned NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian about quarantine arrangements on Sky News last night.
But in fact, the rules are different for government officials and the Prime Minister is within his rights to quarantine “at home” at the Lodge with a staff of cooks and cleaners on hand to make the experience a little more luxurious.
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The exemption is clearly outlined on the health.gov.au website under the section detailing “recommended quarantine exemptions for some other travellers”.
“Official government travel Government officials, and/or their dependants, who are returning from official government travel need to quarantine for 14 days on return to Australia,” it states.
“They may quarantine at their home, usual place of residence, or private accommodation.
“Government officials must travel on an Australian Government issued Official or Diplomat passport when completing Official Travel.
“Strict conditions apply on this exemption class. Government officials are not allowed to take a domestic connecting flight within 14 days of arrival in Australia. Government officials must comply with all state or territory public health requirements.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiqgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9wb2xpdGljcy9rcmlzdGluYS1rZW5lYWxseXMtdGVhcnMtb3Zlci1zY290dC1tb3JyaXNvbnMtYnJva2VuLXByb21pc2UtdG8tc3RyYW5kZWQtYXVzdHJhbGlhbnMvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS81MDVlODRjMzg4ZGQ2YzIwNDkxY2Y3NWM3MmM0NTI1N9IBqgFodHRwczovL2FtcC5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9wb2xpdGljcy9rcmlzdGluYS1rZW5lYWxseXMtdGVhcnMtb3Zlci1zY290dC1tb3JyaXNvbnMtYnJva2VuLXByb21pc2UtdG8tc3RyYW5kZWQtYXVzdHJhbGlhbnMvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS81MDVlODRjMzg4ZGQ2YzIwNDkxY2Y3NWM3MmM0NTI1Nw?oc=5
2020-11-26 01:41:36Z
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