Each state to foot bill of international arrivals being quarantined in NSW
After the National Cabinet agreed NSW would foot the bill to quarantine international arrivals in luxury Sydney hotels, a new deal has now been struck between the states on who should pick up the tab.
NSW
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Every state will foot the bill for their own quarantined residents to be put up in NSW hotels in a backflip on the funding arrangements for the national isolation measures for returning overseas travellers.
It can be revealed that the Board of State Treasurers met this morning and agreed to the cost-splitting proposal put forward by NSW.
This comes after National cabinet agreed last week on a deal that was less favourable towards NSW which would have seen the state pay to quarantine every international arrival here in a hotel for 14 days and taking on a disproportionate burden of the cost.
The Daily Telegraph revealed on Saturday NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet had baulked at the arrangement. In exclusive comments to The Daily Telegraph he declared he would not be paying the entire cost, adding "we might as well throw in a bridge climb".
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High level government conversations have been held in the days since with Mr Perrottet confirming this afternoon the Board of Treasurers has now agreed to split the cost.
"This is a good outcome – it's only fair the cost is shared," Mr Perrottet said today.
He commended the interstate Treasurers for being fair and not leaving NSW to pick up most of the bill – with the majority of international arrivals now landing in Sydney.
"This is a tribute to the other treasures as well – we are all in this together."
Under the arrangements, NSW will still provide the police resources to manage the quarantine program, but other states will be billed for the hotel stays based on how many of their own residents use the program.