Flights of mercy close

First returning Aussies to land from India

MERCY flights carrying Australians returning from overseas to Hobart could begin as soon as December 6.

The first flight, carrying about 150 returnees from India, was expected to arrive in Hobart late this month.

But Premier Peter Gutwein announced the plan would be delayed because he was not satisfied with the arrangements being offered by the federal government.

MERCY flights carrying Australians returning from overseas to Hobart could begin as soon as December 6, a parliamentary committee has heard.

The first of three flights, carrying about 150 returnees from India, was expected to arrive in Hobart within weeks. Two other flights would take the total to 450.

Premier Peter Gutwein on Monday said he expected negotiations with the federal government to wrap up this week.

The first batch of returnees were to be accommodated at the Best Western Hotel and watched over by police and defence force personnel.

Mr Gutwein has told budget estimates committee hearings details were still being resolved including the testing regime for staff, ensuring sufficient support was available from Tasmania Police and from the Australian Defence Force.

“At this stage early December, the 6th of December is the date that is being proposed,” he said.

“I’d just like to make the point, in terms of South Australia we need to be certain that we have been able to dot every ‘ i’ and cross every ‘ t’ and we don’t take anyone until that is the case.

“We will proceed only when our public health officials are confident we have a robust system in place.”

He said that there was a possibility some travellers might bring the virus with them — with a frequency estimated to be about 3 per cent.

“My understanding is that the level of infection that is carried by returning travellers has reduced from where it was from a few months ago,” Mr Gutwein said.

And the Premier confirmed private security would play a role — escorting people in quarantine on cigarette breaks — and there was nothing the government could do to stop them working second jobs, a common factor in secondwave outbreaks in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Labor’s Rebecca White said the use of private security guards needed to be extremely carefully managed.

“We are concerned about this because we’ve seen unfortunately, in Victoria and South Australia, the consequences where you’ve got people working precarious jobs, sometimes in casual employment, or sometimes working across multiple jobs to make ends meet, particularly in security and the consequences that could have on the health of the community,” she said. There are 39 people in hotel quarantine and 522 in home

quarantine in the state.