Australia to Reduce Incoming Int. Passenger Capacity from July 2021

[PineappleSkip]

And apparently we are now able to significantly increase quarantine capacity to bring in many more people being evacuated from Afghanistan. While I have no problem bringing in the evacuees, I wonder why we couldn't have expanded quarantine capacity over the past year to bring back those stranded overseas.

There is a difference between those who are stranded because they can't afford an economy airfare and those who are are in mortal fear of remaining. And the way things are panning out right now, I don't see huge additional demands on Australia's capacity. The reportage today was 100 Australians, 100 family members, and 300-400 locals.

What I have heard about the people being evacuated from Afghanistan who are seeking refugee status is that they will be evacuated to third countries where their claims to asylum will be assessed, with the third countries, of course, carrying the can if they don't qualify. I'd expect these will be most of the 300-400, because anyone who gets a visa gets out reasonably quickly. Don't expect the asylum seekers to arrive in a hurry.

I don't expect (but hope) rapid movement for those who are Australians. I have three colleagues trapped in Kabul at the moment, and they are unable to get out on commercial flights (they were booked out on a TK flight a couple of days ago that didn't fly) and have difficulty getting to the airport for flights. Well I guess that makes them stranded overseas, they just happen to be stranded in a country just taken over by the TB, and for some reason they are very edgy about this. Possibly because they and I know other colleagues who were killed in TB attacks - I am only alive now because I was out of the country when one of these attacks occurred.

I have helped several Afghan colleagues over the years - as a referee or provider of support letters - in their efforts to get out. They are employees of US or UK contractors who are harassed by the Taliban. The threats are typically along the lines of "we know who you work for and we will kill you", or alternatively "we will kill your family". The threats come with information that proves that the TB do indeed know who they are, who their family are, and that they are being watched. They come by text message, in person or are nailed to your door - disconcerting when you think you have a low profile. And they all know of others who have been kidnapped, or gunned down. I have seen what this constant harassment does to them psychologically.

If we have capacity to put them in HQ once they escape all this, good for us. One of my colleagues is a kiwi, who is now expecting, once he hopefully gets out, to be waiting till next year for an MIQ place. So it could be worse.

Cheers skip

 

[Must...Fly!]

One of my colleagues is a kiwi, who is now expecting, once he hopefully gets out, to be waiting till next year for an MIQ place. So it could be worse.

There is provision for emergency applications due to various hardships for NZ citizens. Perhaps your colleague could look in to applying for an emergency voucher. I imagine, in the circumstances, that he would have good reason to apply through such an avenue.

 

[PineappleSkip]

He is aiming at this stage to get to Europe. I’m sure he chased the emergency voucher down that rabbit hole. There is a serious risk to his health and safety, but it requires him to get out of a third country, not get into New Zealand. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

If he gets out on an Aust evac flight he might have a chance of getting an emergency voucher.

cheers skip

 

[dajop]

And apparently we are now able to significantly increase quarantine capacity to bring in many more people being evacuated from Afghanistan. While I have no problem bringing in the evacuees, I wonder why we couldn't have expanded quarantine capacity over the past year to bring back those stranded overseas.

Depending on the numbers, perhaps not really … remembering the “above the cap” Olympians are almost through the system by now.

 

[levelnine]

Depending on the numbers, perhaps not really … remembering the “above the cap” Olympians are almost through the system by now.

The fact that Australia is able to 'find' extra quarantine spaces for all sorts of special purposes (Aus Open, Olympics, Afghan refugees) suggests the country is not doing all it can to repatriate as many stranded citizens as possible.

 

[Pushka]

The fact that Australia is able to 'find' extra quarantine spaces for all sorts of special purposes (Aus Open, Olympics, Afghan refugees) suggests the country is not doing all it can to repatriate as many stranded citizens as possible.

And worse. Yesterday SA Premier was asked if he'd asked for funding for a purpose built quarantine centre like everyone else. (This was because someone in quarantine simply walked out of the building and spent the night in the pub, even after being questioned by police. They let him go. ).

Marshall replied No, because they would then have to increase the international quota coming in. He said the Health Advice said that he couldn't do that . What fricken health advice was that? We have just ONE positive person in SA who has been in RAH for weeks and likely not even infectious. There is no one in the special Tom Court Hotel.

Just wish the damn journalists would ask for what health advice he was using.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The fact that Australia is able to 'find' extra quarantine spaces for all sorts of special purposes (Aus Open, Olympics, Afghan refugees) suggests the country is not doing all it can to repatriate as many stranded citizens as possible.

The AUS open was excluded as that was privately sourced and funded. Unreasonable to expect taxpayers to spend the sort of money paid by the AO.

I think the system needs surge capacity for reasons like refugees or if some emergency required the evacuation of citizens overseas. If we were at capacity it would mean either the refugees or evacuees couldn't come, or Aussies with booked tickets would have had them cancelled at short notice.

 

[Pushka]

The AUS open was excluded as that was privately sourced and funded. Unreasonable to expect taxpayers to spend the sort of money paid by the AO.

I think the system needs surge capacity for reasons like refugees or if some emergency required the evacuation of citizens overseas. If we were at capacity it would mean either the refugees or evacuees couldn't come, or Aussies with booked tickets would have had them cancelled at short notice.

Wrong. I've stated this so many times before but the players who quarantined in SA (The Williams, Djokovic, Osaka et Al) were paid for by the SA taxpayers.

I am so sick of celebrities etc being funded by me when I can't go to something like my son's wedding in the UK. There will always be multiple tennis tournaments in the world every year but God willing, just one wedding for my son and I missed it.

 

[louie-m]

I think the system needs surge capacity for reasons like refugees or if some emergency required the evacuation of citizens overseas.

What, like a pandemic you mean?

 

[louie-m]

If we were at capacity it would mean either the refugees or evacuees couldn't come, or Aussies with booked tickets would have had them cancelled at short notice.

You think Aussies with booked tickets don't have them cancelled at short notice every day anyway?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Wrong. I've stated this so many times before but the players who quarantined in SA (The Williams, Djokovic, Osaka et Al) were paid for by the SA taxpayers.

I am so sick of celebrities etc being funded by me when I can't go to something like my son's wedding in the UK. There will always be multiple tennis tournaments in the world every year but God willing, just one wedding for my son and I missed it.

SA may be different and may have chosen to find select AO players for their benefit. In Vic there was no cost to taxpayers.

What, like a pandemic you mean?

Immediate threats to safety such as earthquakes or war.

 

[Must...Fly!]

In Vic there was no cost to taxpayers.

IMO this is a well worn PR line but hardly reflective of the truth. We know for example that the Victorian government extended the tournament a concessionary loan on 5 year repayment terms.

 

[trevella]

What, like a pandemic you mean?

 

[Pushka]

SA may be different and may have chosen to find select AO players for their benefit. In Vic there was no cost to taxpayers.



Immediate threats to safety such as earthquakes or war.

Without those players the AO would have been a non event.

 

[Seat0B]

Depending on the numbers, perhaps not really … remembering the “above the cap” Olympians are almost through the system by now.

I am not at all thinking that we should abandon the Afghan evacuees. In fact, I think we are doing too little, too late for them. And I do understand the difference between being stranded financially or because there are just no flights. I don’t think we should be prioritising Olympians. I don’t think they should have gone - jumped the queue for vaccines, jumped the queue for quarantine. Go if you have to (if it is argued that it is for work), but then wait your turn to return like everyone else does. And DO NOT get me started on Australian Open tennis players.

But I guess it all just frustrates me that we can do above the cap for some people but not for regular Australians. If we can run above the cap for evacuees and privileged tennis players, movie stars and Olympians, this suggests the cap is at the wrong level.

Post automatically merged: Aug 19, 2021

The fact that Australia is able to 'find' extra quarantine spaces for all sorts of special purposes (Aus Open, Olympics, Afghan refugees) suggests the country is not doing all it can to repatriate as many stranded citizens as possible.

Agree totally

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am not at all thinking that we should abandon the Afghan evacuees. In fact, I think we are doing too little, too late for them. And I do understand the difference between being stranded financially or because there are just no flights. I don’t think we should be prioritising Olympians. I don’t think they should have gone - jumped the queue for vaccines, jumped the queue for quarantine. Go if you have to (if it is argued that it is for work), but then wait your turn to return like everyone else does. And DO NOT get me started on Australian Open tennis players.

But I guess it all just frustrates me that we can do above the cap for some people but not for regular Australians. If we can run above the cap for evacuees and privileged tennis players, movie stars and Olympians, this suggests the cap is at the wrong level.

Post automatically merged: Aug 19, 2021

Agree totally

If had the caps running at full capacity we wouldn't have had surge availability for evacuees. And the celebrities are by and large funding their own quarantine, outside of caps. It's possible we should offer quarantine for $xx_ (10-20K plus?) for individuals who want that, outside the normal caps.

 

[dajop]

The fact that Australia is able to 'find' extra quarantine spaces for all sorts of special purposes (Aus Open, Olympics, Afghan refugees) suggests the country is not doing all it can to repatriate as many stranded citizens as possible.

Agree. In my original post I forgot to add the emoji.

 

[Seat0B]

If had the caps running at full capacity we wouldn't have had surge availability for evacuees. And the celebrities are by and large funding their own quarantine, outside of caps. It's possible we should offer quarantine for $xx_ (10-20K plus?) for individuals who want that, outside the normal caps.

I’m sorry I just don’t agree with you, and that’s ok.

 

[Pushka]

If had the caps running at full capacity we wouldn't have had surge availability for evacuees. And the celebrities are by and large funding their own quarantine, outside of caps. It's possible we should offer quarantine for $xx_ (10-20K plus?) for individuals who want that, outside the normal caps.

Ah, so in future we should simply cut all hospital bed availability in half so we can deal with surge situations then?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ah, so in future we should simply cut all hospital bed availability in half so we can deal with surge situations then?

I believe we have contingencies for hospitals and major disasters, yes.