Ombudsman launches probe into interstate border permits

Border permit issues that have left hundreds of Victorians stranded and effectively homeless will be urgently probed by the state’s watchdog.

Border permit issues that left Victorians “effectively homeless” and stuck interstate will be investigated by the state’s watchdog.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass on Wednesday morning revealed she would launch a probe into Victoria’s travel permit system.

People trying to enter Victoria have made more than 80 complaints about the issue, with the problem escalating after New South Wales was declared an “extreme risk zone” in July.

Wendy Squires and Denise Garbutt at a pop-up camp of displaced Victorians. Picture: Simon Dallinger

Under the probe, specific cases reported to the office will be examined including children wanting to return home with parents once their school closed in NSW and a woman who wanted to get back to care for her adult daughter.

Ms Glass said some issues had been resolved but complaints continued, which raised concerns there were issues with the current system within the Department of Health.

Hundreds of stranded Victorians have been camped along the NSW border. Picture: Simon Dallinger

“The situation is increasingly urgent with the extended lockdown,” she said.

“Some people are telling my office they face effective homelessness, stuck interstate with nowhere else to go,” Ms Glass said.

“Cases that have come into my office have raised concerns about the exercise of discretion under the relevant public health directions.

“This will be a swift investigation to help the department identify if urgent improvements are needed in processes and decision making.”

It is expected the investigation will hand down its finings towards the end of the year.

The probe will look at whether the department was fair when deciding on interstate travel permits, including whether should have been used discretions to grant exemptions.

“Decisions about border permits will invariably involve a balance of individual rights with those of the broader community,” Ms Glass said.

“But it will be important to ensure that balance has been fairly assessed,” she said.

Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass says complaints have raised concerns about issues with the border permit system.

Hundreds of stranded Victorians have been camped along the NSW border waiting for permission to return to their home state.

Parents of students boarding at a rural school also spent weeks petitioning for exemptions to let their children in, with many forced to stay with other families while they waited for a response.

Premier Daniel Andrews last week revealed a trial of home quarantine would begin to bring in Victorians along the border bubble, but this did not include those in the rest of the NSW.