Petra van Korven wants to return home to Geelong but federal government silent for three weeks
A Wallington aged care worker stranded in the Netherlands seeking an exemption to come home hasn’t heard from the federal government three weeks after lodging her application.
Geelong
Don't miss out on the headlines from Geelong. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A WALLINGTON aged care worker stranded in the Netherlands seeking an exemption to come home hasn’t heard from the federal government three weeks after lodging her application.
Since August 10, Petra van Korven, 63, has been trying to return to Geelong but has had flights cancelled or postponed six times due to a cap limiting Australians returning home because of COVID-19.
Ms van Korven’s husband Walter said Qatar Airway has lodged an application with the government on August 20 but the family hadn’t heard a “murmur” since.
He said the next hope for Ms van Korven, who has support from her employer to return home, was a flight in late October.
But he said Qatar could not guarantee she would be given a seat on that flight.
He said Ms van Korven’s employer needed her back because of staff shortages.
Ms van Korven, a permanent resident, left Geelong on July 7 to travel to the Netherlands to be with her terminally ill mother who has since died.
A federal Transport Department spokeswoman did not directly respond to Ms van Korven’s case.
“Airlines flying to Australia can apply for increases in their approved passenger arrival caps on individual flights, which will be considered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications subject to the availability of capacity on the day of arrival,” the spokeswoman said.
“Airlines are responsible for managing individual bookings within the caps in place.
“Consular support for Australians overseas is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.”
The Home Affairs Department and the Australian Border Force did not answer questions about the case.
International flights into Melbourne have been suspended since August which means Ms van Korven would have to quarantine where she arrives.
The federal government has capped weekly returned travellers to 4,000 until October, and 25,000 Australians overseas say they want to come home.
Originally published as Petra van Korven wants to return home to Geelong but federal government silent for three weeks