Coronavirus: State Cabinet briefed on plan to attract international students back after COVID-19 pandemic

Leaders have discussed plans this week to bring international students back to SA as classified documents revealed warnings about the cost of their absence.

A plan to attract international students back to South Australia to revive the multi-billion industry has been discussed by State Cabinet in recent weeks.

Classified documents show ministers were also warned about the COVID-19 “economic impact” on the $2bn international education sector.

Sources say Trade and Investment Minister Stephen Patterson in late March provided a “detailed” briefing on the arrival plan to kickstart the industry.

Cabinet considered how international students return after serving quarantine at a dedicated Adelaide facility.

Mr Patterson’s spokesman refused to release either briefing document or confirm Cabinet discussions.

Authorities are in final negotiations on the specialist suburban quarantine facility, which is understood to be located at a training school.

Premier Steven Marshall and trade minister Stephen Patterson. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

It is among several options a high-level group involving Department for Trade and Investment officials, SA Police and SA Health is considering.

As reported in the Sunday Mail last month, the Transition Committee has also considered students serving 14 days’ isolation at the NT Howard Springs quarantine village, near Darwin.

SA was given approval last November for a trial to allow 300 students but it stalled.

To revive plans, SA must submit a management plan to the Federal Government but has not yet applied to Education Minister Alan Tudge.

Premier Steven Marshall this week said the Commonwealth had two key conditions.

He said students must not arrive ahead of Australian travellers, or be among current arrival caps, while chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier must sign off any plan.

Mr Marshall said he was “very keen to get international students back … as quickly but as safely as possible”.

“We’re still working through some options at the moment,” he said.

“(Students) make an enormous economic contribution to our state.

“They can be brought in … effectively quarantined and we can do that in a way that doesn’t pose a risk.

“We’re just working through those final issues at the moment. I hope that we’ve got something positive to announce in the coming weeks.”

Prof Spurrier told a recent business forum she was “really passionate” about higher education and “very keen to support” having students return.

“My team are working on plans at the moment,” she said.

“We’re hoping we can announce something pretty soon.”

Mr Patterson’s spokesman said educational institutions and universities were involved in talks to assess “a number of student accommodation facilities” on quarantine suitability.

Opposition spokesman Chris Picton said the health of South Australians “must always remain paramount when making these decisions”.

“South Australians deserve to be told about any proposed plan the State Government has developed to bring international students into SA,” he said.