Dear Premier: Letters from our marooned Queenslanders

A southeast Queensland mother-of-three who hasn’t seen her children for a month has opened up about her horror experience trying to get a border exemption, at one point being rejected because she’d applied too early. But thousands of others are in the same boat. Here are their stories.

A Logan mother-of-three who hasn’t seen her children for a month is one of almost 3000 people stuck with no answer on when they will be allowed to travel to Queensland.

Mehvish Choudhry travelled to Victoria on August 25 for an essential-healthcare exam to achieve her dream of becoming a dentist.

Ms Choudhry, a fully vaccinated dental nurse, is now in limbo, struggling to afford accommodation in Melbourne, with no idea when she will be granted a place in Queensland hotel quarantine – which will also cost her thousands of dollars.

The heartbroken woman’s story comes as The Courier-Mail reveals many more heart-wrenching cases of people stranded, unable to get an answer from the Queensland Government.

Some battling to get answers claim there is a backlog of requests that hasn’t moved past September 5.

But Queensland Health say staff are working through exemption requests, within the boundaries of legislation, health directions and protocols, as fast as they can.

A spokeswoman revealed 2997 open requests were currently being considered, compared to the 3663 that were open on September 9 and the 4228 on August 26 – the day after the snap border closure.

Mehvish Choudhry is trying to get back home. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Ms Choudhry said her first application, put in the day after she arrived in Victoria, was rejected, with Queensland Health stating it was too early.

“The feedback I received was that I was applying too far in advance if I wanted to return on September 15,” she said.

Ms Choudhry then received no further correspondence from Queensland Health until September 17, when she was told to allow 10 business days for a response.

“Queensland Health is not being transparent … they can’t even tell us how long we need to wait” she said.

“My husband has taken some time off work during the school holidays because he is currently under a lot of stress.

“We don’t have any family support in Australia – most of our family live in Pakistan so it’s not like my husband can give our kids to someone for any length of time.”

Ms Choudhry said this healthcare exam was compulsory if she wanted to progress her career and become a registered dentist, but now the family were under more financial stress than ever before.

“We understand the impact of our decisions … We are doing everything possible to process exemption requests as quickly as we can,” a Queensland Health spokeswoman said.

“Sensitive requests are prioritised, and all cases are considered on a case-by-case basis in receipt of supporting documentation.

Ms Choudhry’s husband Touqir Ali and children Zoya Touquir, 7, Mahdiya Touquir, 13, and Zanya Touqir, 6. Picture: Annette Dew

“There was a pause on arrivals into Queensland between August 25 and September 6, but since then, border passes have been processed as hotel quarantine rooms become available.”

Five additional workers have been added to the unit since Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flagged a personnel increase earlier this month.

Meanwhile, debate continues to rage across the country about the national plan to reopen.

Researchers have warned state leaders border closures that extend into 2022 will push more Australian businesses to the wall, and take a huge toll on mental health and relationships.

New modelling shows states that are leaning towards 90 per cent vaccination thresholds as a condition of opening up may not reach those milestones until almost mid January.

Modelling by Dr Chris Billington from Melbourne University, based on current vaccine supply and seven-day averages of jabs, shows Queensland will not have fully vaccinated 90 per cent of people aged 16 and over until December 31.

But if Queensland insist on including everyone aged over 12 in their vaccination tallies – something that is increasingly being discussed – the state will not reach the 90 per cent milestone until January 11.

This week Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk refused to confirm interstate and international family reunions could take place at Christmas, even if the state was at 80 per cent vaccination.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles yesterday described the Delta variant of Covid-19 as the gift Queensland did not want from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Miles could not say what mechanisms were available for the State Government to prevent Queenslanders travelling overseas when international borders opened.

“They’re matters for the Commonwealth Government and they will need to put in place those arrangements,” he said.

“I don’t think Queenslanders want all of our international borders open if it is not safe to do so – if there are still lots of cases overseas.”

However, there are fears Queensland could continue forcing returning travellers into hotel or regional quarantine facilities.

“We are putting in place our own arrangements to try to allow for more inbound international travel,” Mr Miles said.

“By Christmas we hope to have Wellcamp open and operating with 100 beds so that we can be bringing back more people.”

The prospect of a lengthy and expensive quarantine stint would be enough to turn Queenslanders off travelling when borders reopen, Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner said.

“No one is going to travel if they have to quarantine on the way back – it will kill the whole tourism industry,” he said.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles yesterday. Picture: Jerad Williams

“If you're fully vaccinated and have a negative test there’s no real reason to go into lengthy quarantine.”

Mr Turner said the opening of Australia’s two largest states to the world would “be the catalyst” for other states and territories.

“There’s no doubt it looks like in NSW you’ll be able to travel overseas late October or November, maybe with home quarantine,” he said.

“Victoria is a long way behind New South Wales but nowhere as far behind as Western Australia and Queensland.

“Mark McGowan and Annastacia Palaszczuk are standing on top of the diving tower and at some stage they’ve got to jump in.”

Queensland recorded no new cases of Covid-19 in the 24 hours to Friday morning, while NSW recorded 1043 and Victoria 733.

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said she would ease mask rules, with anyone sitting down now able to remove their mask even if they are not eating – a move Mr Miles acknowledged was a “small change”.

Mr Miles said he hoped by Christmas, if vaccination rates had increased and cases were low, Queensland could open to New South Wales and Victoria.

Andrew and Barbara Schultz

LETTERS FROM THE MAROONED

Dear Premier,

We are a retired couple from Adelaide who purchased a house in far north Queensland in April and left our home on the 23rd of August to drive to Cairns via Broken Hill and Cunnamulla.

We were turned back today at 10.38am by police at the border.

We had no internet nor phone reception and did have a border permit.

The police would not let us through because of the new restrictions.

I have since been told the restrictions didn’t start until 12.02pm.

Why then were we not allowed in?

We are now stuck in the bush with limited supplies and two pets. My wife is 70 and I am 67.

We only stopped for fuel at Broken Hill and Cobar and slept in rest bays for two separate nights.

This is so unfair. We have a home to go to but can’t get to it.

Please help us. We don’t have Covid or any other disease.

Andrew Schultz

Adam Sharp

Heidi Evans

Dear Premier,

I’m currently living in my car as I can’t drive home to Toowoomba.

I can’t afford to fly, hotel quarantine or freight my car.

I suffered a second heart attack this year along with depression and PTSD.

I’m fully vaccinated and willing to home quarantine like nearly every other state does.

My mental health is suffering so much I’ve considered ending my life. I miss my son and terrified of the stress of this causing a third heart attack.

Adam Sharp

Dear Premier,

Can you explain to my seven-year-old daughter why she has not been able to see Daddy?

Her name is Heidi and she wants me to ask you that question!

Mum and daughter went to Queensland to live before the lockdown started.

She has started at a new school, and I have missed the entire term with her at a new school.

Why? I own a place in Queensland, pay my mortgage for my place in Queensland, pay my council rates in Queensland!

Yet you still won’t let me home (unless I am a football player).

You say your hotel quarantine system is working well yet I read stories every day of families that are homeless, living in cars, suicides and mental health declining faster than you can say “shut the border!”

After countless phone calls and applications (each with a different answer), I am a refugee in my own country. Please let me home!

Martin Evans

Cathryn Elsing

Leonie Bunyan

Dear Premier,

My father passed suddenly in August and I travelled to NSW to be with my family and to say goodbye.

I am still mourning that loss.

On top of that is the traumatic experience of trying to navigate your exemption and hotel quarantine system.

I am a Queensland resident and I cannot afford hotel quarantine. I don’t see why I cannot quarantine at home as I live alone.

I have no desire to leave my house and put the community at risk. I only want to return home.

Please show compassion and let Queenslanders return home.

Cathryn Elsing

Dear Premier,

I have been discriminated against for reasons beyond my control.

My health has been my reason for visiting NSW.

I came to attend planned surgery and waited one month for follow-up with the surgeon.

I was turned back at the border when I tried to go home, the reason being I had “stayed too long”.

We were on stay-at-home orders since I was in hospital.

I have sleep apnoea. I use a machine to sleep at night.

The Premier does not allow people who require continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) into hotel quarantine.

I am capable of doing home quarantine and should be allowed to do so.

It would free up the hotels.

I applied for exemption to do this but was rejected, only to be told to fly in and hotel quarantine.

No reason was given for the rejection.

I’m double vaccinated, and tested negative on the weekend.

Leonie Bunyan

Dear Premier,

We decided to move from Victoria back to Queensland to be closer to my family 2½ months ago.

We have tried to follow all the protocols Queensland has put in place.

Due to a lung condition, it is a risk to my health to fly.

We also have a French bulldog which has a risk to fly and would cost us over $1000.

At first, we were stuck at a motel at the border of Victoria waiting for a response from the Queensland exemption team (it had been a month since we applied) with funds dried up.

I am lucky enough to have a close friend in Newcastle who has hosted us while waiting for Queensland’s response to my medical exemption.

It has been over two months since I’ve applied, with little to no communication from the exemption department regarding my application.

We have relied strongly on Centrelink to get by during this time.

Daryan and Cheyenne

Dear Premier,

I’m in Brisbane but my 26-weeks pregnant partner Katrina is still waiting for a border pass to come up. She has no family in NSW, being a NZ citizen. She can no longer work due to the nature of her work (riding racehorses). She is expected to move out of the room she is in as she has no source of income.

Adrian Gray

Dear Premier,

I have always voted Labor because I thought it was the major party that aimed to not leave people behind.

A party that stood for what was right and not always popular: equality, compassion, community.

But as I sit here tonight fully vaccinated, willing to quarantine, in a part of regional Victoria that has not had a Covid case in over 12 months, desperate to see my dad with Stage 4 cancer and yet still unable to return home, I wonder: what do you really stand for?

James

Dear Premier,

I am in a desperate situation.

I had to leave Brisbane due to an essential healthcare exam which was being held in Melbourne and contacted Queensland Health before leaving, who advised me there should be no problem coming back if I was happy to quarantine.

I applied for a border pass on the 26th of August, which the government cancelled, asking for people to reapply on the 5th of September.

I did that and after waiting for 10 days, I still don’t have a response from Queensland Health. They kept saying we can escalate your application after the 10 days and on my last call on day 10 they told me they can’t do that any more.

I have three kids in Brisbane – ages 13, 7 and 6 – and I am sitting in Melbourne waiting to get a place in quarantine.

I am fully vaccinated and a healthcare provider. I myself feel so upset about how returning residents are being treated.

I am homeless and run out of money and struggling financially but more so mentally.

Also on the verge of losing my job and have a mortgage which I don’t know how to pay as I am unable to work, but the biggest concern are my children who need their mother.

Mehvish Choudhry