Traveller caught up in border rule confusion seek compensation from SA Health

At least 10 people affected by the recent border blunder have contacted SA Health for compensation but it is still unclear how the plan will work.

At least 10 travellers have sought compensation from SA Health after being left high and dry by Sunday’s border bungle, the State Government says.

After the mishap, which led to about 550 people being put into isolation, Health Minister Stephen Wade said travel costs would be reimbursed and considered on a “case-by-case basis”.

“People who believe they’re entitled to compensation can make contact with SA Health,” he said.

However, it remains unclear what criteria needs to be met in order to make a claim, the size of the compensation fund or maximum individual payment and the deadline for applications.

Mr Wade fronted the media on Tuesday and said 10 people had so far contacted SA Health for compensation and he expected more to do so.

He said he was not aware of any payments that had yet been made.

“There are many variables that arise in compensation … I actually don’t believe it’s helpful for those families to get bogged down in bureaucratic red tape,” Mr Wade said.

“We want to focus on supporting families where we can, for them to continue with their Christmas plans but we certainly will be working expeditiously to deal with each compensation request.

“To suggest we should take days to prepare criteria, rather than immediately respond to people’s concerns, I don’t think is the right approach.”

He said affected people could apply for compensation via SA Health’s exemption email and should contact the COVID Hotline with any queries.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said a number of NSW travellers caught up in the debacle had since contacted SA Health.

Professor Spurrier said there were about 30 families within regional areas of NSW who were allowed to come into SA after they were initially given the wrong information at the border.

Opposition health spokesman Chris Piction this morning called on the State Government to clarify how the compensation system would work.

“This chaotic border bungle caused a lot of confusion in the community,” he said.

“I welcome news that Stephen Wade has said the government is going to provide compensation for those who have suffered as a result of this bungle.

“It’s important the government quickly provide information about how people can apply for this compensation, who they should apply to, what the criteria is and how long they have to apply.”

Mr Picton also said the government needs to clarify the size of the compensation fund and the maximum payment.

Travellers arriving in Adelaide from Sydney on Sunday evening. Picture: Supplied

It comes as NSW Health on Tuesday recorded eight new cases of locally transmitted coronavirus – marking a further drop in daily cases since the coronavirus cluster in Sydney’s northern beaches area broke out last week.

Professor Spurrier said there were no new cases in South Australia despite a testing surge, meaning SA’s total number of cases remains at 566, with three that are active.

Of that total, three are considered active and are all returned Australians in hotel quarantine.

Welcome to SA, the state of confusion

Confusion surrounding the SA-NSW border changes on Sunday had left airport arrivals, who were wrongly told to quarantine, in tears and motorists were incorrectly turned away from entering the state.

Panorama resident Janelle Chaptini told of the border bungle facing travellers at Adelaide Airport on Sunday night, forcing people to line-up for a COVID-19 test before being given misinformation.

The 25-year-old thought she had done the right thing by getting on an early flight out of Sydney, before the strict quarantine measures were enforced from midnight on Sunday.

“We were told (when we landed) if we’d been in the greater Sydney area we’d have to quarantine for 14 days,” Ms Chaptini said on Monday. “At first I was shaken by the fact that the law had changed so quickly from the time I stepped on the plane to stepping off.”

She said people began to cry at the news, as she believed many would not have travelled to SA if they knew they had to quarantine for 14 days.

Ms Chaptini said she had to line up for a COVID-19 test where she asked health officials whether she would need to quarantine and was shocked at the response.

“They told me to watch the morning news and then I would know,” she said.

“We needed an authority to clearly and decisively explain to us what the law was. At the end of the day, we spent hours in uncertainty, unsure whether they (the government) were taking the rug from beneath us.”

Janelle Chaptini arrived in Adelaide from Sydney and was told she would need to undergo 14 days’ quarantine.

A packed Adelaide Airport.

Joanne Griffiths shared a similar story of confusion after leaving Sydney at 5am on Sunday to arrive at the Yamba checkpoint by early evening.

“We were told we were not allowed entry unless we isolated without family for 14 days,” she said. “We were absolutely gutted.”

Ms Griffiths, her husband, Ian, and son Zach, 12, were forced to drive back to Buronga, in NSW, for the night so they would not be left in limbo and trapped in Victoria which requires a permit for NSW residents.

“Now we’re even more angry because we’ve since been told there was a mistake,” Ms Griffiths said.

She was on the phone to SA Police until 1am, who told her to go through the Mildura checkpoint where the family would be allowed entry.

However, they were refused.

“We are now driving a further 3½ hours to get to Broken Hill to try and get into SA from there,” she said.

“I’m furious about the misinformation. They’re forcing people to drive all over the country with
no sleep.”

The family was allowed through the Broken Hill checkpoint, arriving in South Australia a day later than planned.