‘Lacking compassion’: Ukrainian refugee family forced into quarantine

A Queensland health boss has questioned the State Government’s practice of shunting a Ukrainian war refugee family into quarantine.

A Ukrainian family forced to dodge bombs and bullets while fleeing their war-torn country was sent to the Wellcamp quarantine facility despite arriving in Queensland with few possessions and no money.

Escaping Ukraine two weeks after Russia fired the first shots in its bloody invasion, the Bilyk family – Iryna, 63, Anastasiia, 32, and Milana, 7 – arrived in Queensland on Monday before being immediately forced into state-run quarantine at Toowoomba.

The unvaccinated family had not pre-applied for an exemption to Wellcamp quarantine, but say border authorities refused to show compassion or assist them in applying once they landed in Queensland.

Mrs Bilyk’s Moreton Bay region daughter, also named Iryna, said her mother, sister-in-law and niece were sheltering in a village outside Kyiv when the Russian invasion started last month.

As Vladimir Putin’s army edged closer the three were forced to leave sons, husbands and fathers to make the dangerous journey across the border to Moldova and then Romania – before flying to Australia.

Ms Bilyk said the three were placed on a bus to Wellcamp after arriving in Queensland on Monday despite pleading with border authorities to let them quarantine at her Narangba home.

Iryna, Milana and Anastasiia Bilyk at the Wellcamp quarantine hub

“They were running for their lives and they can’t speak English very well so filling out documents was beyond them,” she said.

“I begged them (Queensland authorities), I said I would isolate with them, we’ll do rapid antigen tests daily but they refused.”

It was not until The Courier-Mail asked questions about the family’s situation on Wednesday that health authorities acted, informing the family last night that they could quarantine at home.

The Ukrainian refugees’ Brisbane family said authorities had advised they were expected to be released from Wellcamp by tomorrow.

“At Wellcamp they’re staying near the airport so they get very anxious every time a plane takes off,” she said.

“Every time they hear a plane they want to run for their lives because they think a bomb is coming.”

Adding to the stress, Ms Bilyk said her family was initially told they must foot the $4000 bill to spend two weeks in government-run accommodation at Wellcamp.

It is unknown if they will be charged for the time they have spent in the Toowoomba facility.

“I just want them to feel safe and welcome,” Ms Bilyk said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the state would welcome those fleeing atrocities in Ukraine but declared unvaccinated arrivals were required to complete quarantine.

“Because of the foresight of the Queensland Government, Queensland has a newly built specialist quarantine facility at Wellcamp where health care, meals and access to fresh air and verandas is supplied,” she said.

“The Queensland Government will not charge these refugees any fees, including the family reportedly at Wellcamp.”

Queensland Health was unable to provide a request for comment before deadline.

Mater director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said unvaccinated people were of more danger to themselves than the wider community, and said in the case of the Ukrainian family compassion must be considered.

“The humanitarian aspect needs to outweigh the public health considerations,” he said.

“We do need to be very mindful of where they’ve come from and what they’ve gone through.

“One thing we’ve perhaps been lacking is compassion.”

The Human Rights Commission this week called for better checks and balances on bureaucratic powers and explanations on why restrictions were in place.

Iryna Bilyk in a spare room at her Narangba home made up for her Ukrainian family. Picture: Lachie Millard