Quarantine bills on way

TRAVELLERS who stayed in hotel quarantine in Tasmania during the past 5½ weeks because of COVID-19 will soon receive bills for their 14-day stays.

Those who were required to quarantine will be charged $2800, but there will be a reduced rate for couples and families.

MILLIONS of dollars worth of invoices will soon be sent out to people who were recently quarantined in Tasmanian hotels.

After July 31, all non-essential travellers arriving in Tasmania who were required to quarantine for 14 days in government-run hotels were charged $2800, with a reduced rate applying for couples and families.

Since that date, 1090 people have stayed in hotel quarantine in the state, a Department of Communities spokesman confirmed.

“Those who arrived into hotel quarantine from 31 July will soon receive a fee invoice for their stay,’’ he said.

“Issuing of invoices could not commence until after the legislation received royal assent, which was received last week.”

It comes amid concerns over the quality of food provided to some travellers, after photos emerged of meals served to a guest at one of the hotels.

People in quarantine shared images of some of the food which was served to them, above, in their room at the Ibis hotel in Hobart.

A woman quarantining at the hotel, who asked to remain anonymous, said she hoped more people would speak out to improve the situation.

But the government department managing the quarantine hotels, which was sent the pictures, defended the quality of the food.

“The sausages were not served like that,” a Department of Communities spokesman said.

“They were served in a mushroom sauce with creamy mash and steamed zucchini.”

“The only feedback received recently in regards to food has been positive,’’

“If guests have any issues with the meals they receive, we encourage them to speak with the government liaison officers who are onsite at each hotel and dedicated to dealing with these types of concerns.”

Hotel operator Accor, which runs the Ibis chain of hotels declined to comment.

The total of the invoices for the hotel quarantine range from $2800 for individuals, couples at a rate of $3800 and families with children up to a maximum of $4800.

The department spokesman said after people received their invoice, they could apply for a waiver or reduction of the fee based on their circumstances.

Seven hotels are being used by the government for quarantine purposes in Tasmania — three in the North, two in the South and two in the North-West.

As of Monday, there were 459 people in hotel quarantine across the state. The government has spent close to $17m on hotel quarantine since introducing the policy in March. cameron.whiteley@news.com.au