NSW can’t get Queensland, WA and NT travellers to pay for hotel quarantine

Returned travellers owe NSW more than $110 million for their hotel quarantine — with residents from Australia’s hermit states responsible for nearly two-thirds of the debt.

Returned travellers owe the NSW government more than $110 million in quarantine hotel fees — with those from Australia’s hermit states responsible for nearly two-thirds of that.

And NSW is urging people to arrange payment plans or it may have to call in debt recovery services.

While Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT have been paying NSW in line with the Board of Treasurers’ agreement for travellers who quarantined in NSW, payment of invoices totalling $65.85 million by Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory remains outstanding.

Athletes from the Australian Olympic team in hotel quarantine in August. There is no suggestion their bill was not paid. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Coker

With hotel quarantine now ended, Finance Minister Damien Tudehope urged those who were yet to pay to do the right thing.

“It is only fair to the rest of the taxpayers in NSW that people in hotel quarantine pay their fees due,” he said.

“Don’t put the invoice aside for another day, contact us about making a payment, entering into a payment plan, an extension to pay or other hardship measures that may be available.

“Revenue NSW has a range of options when it comes to resolving these invoices. Get in touch today and get on top of it.”

From November 1, people arriving into NSW from overseas who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — with vaccines recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration — do not need to complete hotel quarantine.

Those who are not fully vaccinated must still quarantine for 14 days.

Members of the armed forces were brought in to help administer NSW’s hotel quarantine scheme. Picture: Toby Zerna

Since invoices for quarantine fees began being issued for travellers returning from July 18 last year, the government has sent out 142,728 bills for hotel quarantine, totalling $309.7 million. Of these, 62,426 invoices amounting to $160.4 million have been paid.

As of November 11, 65,408 invoices to the value of $110.3 million remain outstanding.

The bulk of these have gone to people from the two states and one territory that are keeping their borders closed.

Revenue NSW has or is organising for most of the unpaid invoices to go onto a payment plan, taking into account people’s capacity to pay.

Another 4894 invoices worth almost $39 million have been waived, such as those applying to Australian Defence Force personnel returning from active duty.

The compulsory contribution by travellers was to help offset the overall cost of the program, which is described as “significant”.

Travellers who bought their ticket before the compulsory contribution was announced were not required to pay.

Revenue NSW managed the hotel invoicing process, and does not start enforcement action until after a debt recovery order due date has passed.

Enforcement action to recover the debt can include a bank or wage garnishee order, property seizure order, examination summons, or charge on land for property.

It can be revealed that bank garnishee orders are already being applied to hotel quarantine clients who have refused to pay.

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