Hotel quarantine experience when returning to Australia

[Maisy33]

Has anyone had their hotel stay waived due to financial hardship? If so, was this an easy process?

 

[hossein_au]

I don't think hotel stays are waived; that would defeat the purpose of quarantine. The only exception I know is if you're traveling on diplomatic passport.

The stay is compulsory; only the fee is waived due to a range of consideration (for example, if the ticket is purchased before a set date, or due to financial hardship)

 

[Maisy33]

For WA you can apply for hardship if Australian student studying overseas. Think I’ll get my son to try for it if he can get back. He has no money

 

[Must...Fly!]

For WA you can apply for hardship if Australian student studying overseas. Think I’ll get my son to try for it if he can get back. He has no money

Flights must have been hard to get then.

 

[PineappleSkip]

For WA you can apply for hardship if Australian student studying overseas. Think I’ll get my son to try for it if he can get back. He has no money

Looks like you are looking for a fee waiver rather than an exemption for exemption from hotel quarantine.

Being a student is not a criterion for a waiver, but having no money is relevant. See this FAQ for details of the criteria for a waiver and the surt of information and documentation that needs to be provided. It would be much easier to meet the bar for payment of the fee by instalments than to have it waived altogether.

Cheers skip

 

[Indiana]

Has anyone had their hotel stay waived due to financial hardship? If so, was this an easy process?

Be interesting to hear from anyone that had.

I had my hotel stay waived only because I started my journey before Covid started, but I had to produce full proof of this with tickets etc.

 

[Seat0B]

Mr Seat0A's cousin's son (I swear this is true, not a made up story ) had his bill waived by Qld Govt. He arrived from Canada and quarantined in July. He was unemployed for some time in Canada as he had gone there in December 2019 on the under 30's visa, and never managed to get a job given COVID. So he spent all his money on accommodation and food. He arrived back home with no job, and is still unemployed. So he applied to waive it on the basis that he really could not pay. They asked to see bank accounts but pretty much accepted his financial position as he has met the requirements for JobSeeker from Centrelink. So he was thrilled that he did not have to pay the bill.

Seems like you have to be in pretty dire financial circumstances to get it waived though.

 

[Pushka]

We were at a post wedding function in Sydney today with guests (Aussies) who had come from overseas for this and other reasons. It seems the NT Howard Springs offers an almost pleasant experience. Fresh air. Balcony.

 

[Toula92122]

We were at a post wedding function in Sydney today with guests (Aussies) who had come from overseas for this and other reasons. It seems the NT Howard Springs offers an almost pleasant experience. Fresh air. Balcony.

If I had a choice Howard Springs would be the go for me. The huts they use look spacious compared to a single hotel room and fresh air is so eagerly sought after being locked up in quarantine. I think it must be better mentally.

 

[pyffii]

We stayed in HS in September and had a very pleasant two weeks....Balcony, fresh air, walked for 5 hours each day, meals supplemented with Coles and Woolies deliveries....had two swims in the pool and had a great shower and even better aircon....Whats not to like ???

 

[sudoer]

Whats not to like ???

No care packages or alcohol IIRC?

 

[Pushka]

No care packages or alcohol IIRC?

Alcohol is allowed but excess adds to the days ‘incarcerated’ as does crossing the border red line. This was the case a couple of weeks ago.

 

[VPS]

Alcohol is allowed but excess adds to the days ‘incarcerated’ as does crossing the border red line. This was the case a couple of weeks ago.

friend there last year wasn't allowed any alcohol at all

 

[sudoer]

Quarantine facilities

Find out more about Mandatory Supervised Quarantine facilities, amenities and meals during your quarantine period.

coronavirus.nt.gov.au

No alcohol to be brought onsite or purchased during stay, bags may be checked on arrival.

One other significant factor is the price of quarantine at Howard Springs if travelling in a pair.

Location	1 adult / 1 room	2 adults / 1 room
Howard Springs	$2500	$5000
Sydney	$3000	$4000
Brisbane	$2800	$3710
Adelaide	$3000	$4000
Perth	$2520	$3360
Canberra	$3000	$4000
Hobart	$2800	$3800
Melbourne	$3000	$4000

Many states (possibly all except NT) also have waivers for travellers who booked flights before mid July 2020, even if those flights were subsequently cancelled and they had to rebook.

Those quarantining at Howard Springs also need to pay for their onward domestic flight home from Darwin, further adding to the cost compared with quarantining in their home state.

Lastly I'd say the convenience of Uber Eats et al is a massive plus for those staying in metro areas.

 

[Pushka]

friend there last year wasn't allowed any alcohol at all

Clearly policy has changed then.

 

[sudoer]

Clearly policy has changed then.

Or it's just not being enforced? Policy is still clearly stated on the NT gov website.

 

[Pushka]

Or it's just not being enforced? Policy is still clearly stated on the NT gov website.

Most likely that then. I know this couple were very happy.

 

[Myrna]

Just want to subscribe to this thread to hear others experience on hotel quarantine - as we will be returning home some time this year. Been hoping (in vain) that being fully vaccinated will allow us to quarantine at home. Hope has been dashed with news that some fully vaccinated arrivals got infected, so impossible for the government to consider home quarantine. No alternative to jail hotel quarantine

 

[Pushka]

Just want to subscribe to this thread to hear others experience on hotel quarantine - as we will be returning home some time this year. Been hoping (in vain) that being fully vaccinated will allow us to quarantine at home. Hope has been dashed with news that some fully vaccinated arrivals got infected, so impossible for the government to consider home quarantine. No alternative to jail hotel quarantine

The time has to come when infections in vaccinated people does not equate with serious illness and widespread infectivity if that’s what the UK evidence shows. My nephew is about to do this again next week (second time) plus another fortnight just before the hotel quarantine came in last March. He did fine. He was prepared.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Same here, two weeks at home first time, with deliveries from rellies. Two weeks within four small walls second time. I had compiled so much to do the second time that I didn't have time to do everything I intended to. I never resorted to Uber eats although I did do some deliveries from Woolies and BWS. And furiously pedalling my exercise bike made me feel a little like a hamster on a wheel. If the next trip comes off there will be a third bout, which doesn't concern. I will take time to smell the roses.

If there are two of you then you should get bigger accom than the single mens quarters I was assigned to.

cheers skip