Damon Mcknight
The Australian government has spent billions of dollars on quarantine measures since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the government has covered some of the costs of quarantine for returning citizens, there has been criticism of the fees charged to Australians entering the country. Petitions have been launched to waive quarantine fees for citizens, and the government has faced pressure to reinstate compensation pay for casual workers forced to isolate.
Does the Australian government pay for quarantine?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Citizens returning to Australia | Citizens returning to Australia have to pay for their quarantine. However, there is a petition against this and some citizens are demanding reimbursement. |
| International travellers to Australia | International travellers flying to Sydney are liable to pay quarantine fees. |
| Domestic travellers to Australia | Domestic travellers flying to Sydney are liable to pay quarantine fees. |
| Casual workers | The government faces pressure to reinstate compensation pay for casual workers forced to isolate due to Covid-19. |
| Employees | Employees working from home during self-isolation or quarantine have to be paid for the work they’re doing. |
| Vulnerable Australians | The government has worked with Qantas to prioritise vulnerable Australians. |
| Repatriation flights | The government has offered repatriation flights to Australians stranded abroad. |
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What You'll Learn
Citizens returning from abroad
The Australian government has strict border measures in place to protect the health of the Australian community. All travellers arriving in Australia, including Australian citizens returning from abroad, must quarantine for 14 days at a designated facility, such as a hotel in their port/city of arrival. Travellers may be required to pay for the costs of their quarantine, which can be up to $8,000 per person. However, there are some instances where the government has covered these costs.
For example, in October 2020, the Federal Government announced that it would pay $50 million to the Northern Territory (NT) government for the quarantine costs of returning travellers. This was expected to cover the quarantine of 5,000 people returning to Australia, with the Commonwealth footing the bill for all returning Australians. Similarly, in 2021, the NSW government waived the quarantine fee for people who entered hotel quarantine between 19 October and 31 October and met certain criteria.
There has been some criticism of the government's expectation that citizens pay for their own quarantine. A petition from 2021 argued that Australian citizens have the right to return to their home country without having to pay additional quarantine fees, especially considering the financial pressure that many citizens abroad already face due to the pandemic. The petition also highlighted the stress of uprooting families and careers, the cost of flights, and the requirement of negative COVID-19 tests prior to departure.
In response to this criticism, the West Australian government considered charging returning Australians who travelled overseas despite official warnings and restrictions. However, it is important to note that the Australian government has also faced challenges in repatriating its citizens, with Foreign Minister Marise Payne stating that the Federal Government "will not be able to ensure the return of every Australian who wants to head home during the coronavirus pandemic."
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Compensation for casual workers
The Australian government has been reluctant to pay workers to enter quarantine, despite calls from unions and welfare groups warning of the impact on casual workers. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has instead called on employers to "hang on" to their staff and provide paid leave where needed. Attorney-General Christian Porter has also stated that casual workers are paid higher hourly wages and, therefore, may have "already made provisions".
However, the government has provided some financial support to workers during the pandemic. The JobKeeper payment was introduced to support workers who were unable to work during the quarantine period. Casual workers were offered $550 a fortnight, the same figure as JobSeeker. To qualify for these payments, businesses needed to prove they had experienced financial hardship in the previous six months. Additionally, the government committed to paying regular weekly earnings for all public service workers, including fixed-term contracts and casuals.
Furthermore, the government has provided paid special leave for casual and fixed-term employees in some states. In New South Wales, Western Australia, and Victoria, these employees were protected and paid special leave for up to 20 days, while South Australia offered 15 days. This leave was intended to cover employees who were unable to work from home and were directed not to attend the workplace due to isolation requirements.
In addition to government support, some private organizations have also provided leave for their employees. Australia's largest aged care providers agreed to pay staff two weeks of special "Covid-19 leave" if they or their close family members were affected by the coronavirus. This leave was available regardless of whether the virus was contracted in the community or while undertaking duties as an employee.
Despite these measures, there have been ongoing calls for the government to provide more support for casual workers affected by the pandemic. In July 2022, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced pressure to reinstate compensation pay for casual workers forced to isolate due to a fresh wave of infections. This came as the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants threatened to cause millions of new infections in the country.
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State-wise payment variations
The Australian government has faced pressure to reinstate Covid-19 quarantine pay for casual workers forced to isolate due to the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron coronavirus variants. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated that the government will reinstate support payments for such workers. Previously, the government had spent almost A$13 billion on 2.4 million employees in pandemic payments, with total federal support estimated to be over A$300 billion.
Quarantine requirements in Australia are managed and enforced by state and territory governments with Australian Government support. Each state has its own regulations for international travellers, and some states require mandatory quarantine at designated facilities. Here are the payment variations for different states:
- New South Wales (NSW): The NSW Government charges NSW residents, non-NSW residents, and international travellers for hotel quarantine accommodation. The fee is a fixed amount of $3000 for one adult, $5000 for a group of 2 adults and 2 children, and $6000 for 2 adults and 4 children. The government also offers financial assistance and payment plans for those who cannot afford the fees.
- South Australia: Upon returning to South Australia after quarantining in another state or territory, travellers must self-quarantine for 14 additional days. The fee is $3000 for an individual adult, with an extra $1000 for another adult from the same family and $500 per child.
- Northern Territory (NT): All international arrivals must complete 14 days of mandatory self-quarantine at a place directed by the NT Government. The quarantine fee for an individual is $2500 for the full 14-day period, and a family rate of $5000 applies for family groups of two or more people in shared accommodation.
- Queensland: Travellers arriving in Queensland by air will be transported to a designated hotel for quarantine. The quarantine fee must be covered by the travellers themselves.
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Quarantine payment plans
The Australian government has faced pressure to reinstate Covid-19 quarantine pay for casual workers forced to isolate due to the virus. The previous government had set an end date of June 30 for quarantine pay of up to A$750 for casual workers.
The government has spent almost A$13 billion on 2.4 million employees as of the end of last year, with total federal support since the pandemic began estimated at over A$300 billion.
The NSW Government charges NSW residents, non-NSW residents, and international travellers for their hotel quarantine accommodation. Travellers are charged a fixed amount of $3000 for one adult, $5000 for a group or family of 2 adults and 2 children, and $6000 for 2 adults and 4 children. The NSW Government will subsidise the cost of mandatory quarantine at a rate of $1500 per person for workers entering NSW during the 2021/22 financial year.
Unaccompanied minors under 18 years of age are not required to pay a fee. The invoice recipient has 30 days to pay the invoice, and they may be subject to penalties if they do not pay on time. Revenue NSW can grant an extension of up to 14 days and assist the recipient in establishing a payment plan. If the recipient still cannot afford the payment plan or extension, Revenue NSW will work with them to determine their capacity to pay the fees.
The Australian Government has also offered to underwrite the cost of flights for returning citizens, but passengers will still need to purchase tickets at commercial rates. The government has also offered loans to those in need of assistance.
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Employee rights and pay
Employees who are required by NSW Health to self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19, or who need to care for someone with COVID-19, may be eligible for the Australian Government's lump-sum Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment. Employees who want to stay at home as a precaution (but who are not directed to by their employer or an enforceable government direction) need to come to an arrangement with their employer. This may include working from home (if this is a practical option) or taking some form of paid or unpaid leave, such as annual leave or long service leave.
If an employee is directed by their employer not to work due to workplace health and safety risks but is ready, willing, and able to work, the employee is generally entitled to be paid while the direction applies. However, if an employee cannot work because they are subject to a government direction requiring them to self-quarantine, the employee is not ordinarily entitled to be paid (unless they use leave entitlements).
Employees who have worked for their employers for two or more years are protected from unfair dismissal. Employment lawyers suggest that it would likely be unfair to dismiss an employee who cannot come to work because they unexpectedly had to quarantine. The case may be different if the employee knowingly travelled to a non-exempt country. Many casual workers and employees who have not worked for their employer for more than two years are generally not protected against dismissal.
The Australian Government Department of Health provides information on self-quarantine requirements, including conditions for isolation and quarantine periods and when testing should be sought. Services Australia provides information and services to support those affected by COVID-19, including Centrelink payments.
In the case of employees who exhaust their sick leave when self-quarantined, employers will need to consider whether to require these employees to take unpaid sick leave or use their annual leave entitlements.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian government has paid for quarantine for vulnerable Australians and those stranded overseas. However, there have been instances where Australians have had to pay for their quarantine stays, and there have been petitions for the government to stop charging quarantine fees to citizens returning home.
Yes, international travellers flying into Sydney are required to pay quarantine fees. The NSW Government charges NSW residents, non-residents, and international travellers for hotel quarantine accommodation.
Travellers are charged $3000 for one adult, $5000 for a group or family of 2 adults and 2 children, and $6000 for a group or family of 2 adults and 4 children.
Employees who are required to self-isolate or quarantine and work from home must be paid for the work they do. Full-time and part-time employees should receive their standard pay. However, employees are not entitled to pay if they cannot work due to self-isolation unless they use paid leave entitlements. Additionally, employees may be able to use paid or unpaid carer's leave to care for a family member or household member with COVID-19.
