Soldiers and cops on guard
‘ Seamless’ quarantine system for repatriated Aussies
INTERNATIONAL returnees on a series of mercy flights to arrive in Hobart over the next fortnight will be housed in two hotels and watched over by police and defence personnel, Premier Peter Gutwein said.
Mr Gutwein announced on Saturday that Tasmania would host quarantine for passengers from three repatriation flights with up to 450 people aboard.
The returning Australians will be health- tested before flying and during quarantine.
“In terms of the mercy flights, that will occur over the next two weeks, towards the end of the two weeks,” Mr Gutwein said.
“These flights are obviously flights that aren’t part of a regular schedule and so it’s important that in terms of final timing that the federal government and obviously those that will be a part of the flights themselves, as part of the charter, that those matters are worked through within the next two weeks.”
The involvement of private security guards in Victoria’s hotel quarantine program
has been blamed for the state’s second wave of coronavirus infections.
Mr Gutwein said Tasmania Police and Australian Defence Force personnel would be responsible for supervising those in quarantine.
“Those negotiations are nearly finalised — we will have two separate standalone hotels for international travellers,” he said.
“They will be supported by both the ADF and obviously
Border Force when the travellers arrive here.”
He said he expected the process to be managed in a similar fashion to the system for domestic travellers during the pandemic.
“Based on our experience today, in managing quarantine hotels, I’m certain that this will occur just as seamlessly as it has in the past.
“We’ve managed our current hotels on the basis that everybody that’s been entering them has been a risk.
That’s the purpose of a quarantine hotel. But obviously, we will make sure that every ‘ i’ is dotted and every ‘ t’ crossed to ensure that we keep the community safe.”
The Premier said plans for direct flights to New Zealand were advanced. “We’re negotiating with a carrier and I don’t think it would be reasonable to announce who they are at this particular stage — but those negotiations are in final stages.”