Hobart family remains stranded in the Philippines after they were not allowed to return home due to Australian quarantine limits
A Hobart family has had yet another disappointment in their ongoing battle to return home amid the coronavirus pandemic. They now feel like the Australian Government has deserted them.
Tasmania
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A HOBART man still stranded in the Philippines with his family amid the coronavirus pandemic feels he has been abandoned and deserted by his country’s government.
Brett Riseley travelled there on March 11 with his wife Imelda and their son Tasman for a three-week visit with family, but it soon turned into a holiday nightmare.
They thought the ordeal would finally be over when they travelled to the capital Manila on Saturday for an expected flight to Sydney.
But when they got to the airport they told they would not be allowed to fly, due to limits to the number of travellers being accepted into quarantine in Australia.
It was yet another disappointment for the family, with other flights booked in recent months cancelled.
Mr Riseley, 59, said they had travelled to Manila from Aparri, about 600km away, and they were now mostly contained to a hotel room in the capital.
They have been re-booked on the next available flight on July 19, but there is no guarantee they will be on it.
Mr Riseley, of Risdon Vale, said he was worried about contracting COVID-19 in Manila which he said was an “epicentre” for the virus.
He said the family was using protective equipment like masks and only venturing out to get groceries.
“I just think we’ve been abandoned by the Australian Government,’’ he said.
An aged care support worker, Mr Riseley said he had been forced to take long-service leave and draw on his superannuation to pay for unexpected expenses while overseas — amid repeated attempts to secure a flight.
State Independent member for Clark Madeleine Ogilvie has remained in contact with the family. “It has been a terribly long and arduous experience for them,’’ Ms Ogilvie said.
Premier Peter Gutwein has written to Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne to seek support for the family’s return to Australia — with the Premier’s office also in direct contact with the family.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said DFAT would not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons, but said the Australian embassy in Manila was providing regular updates on flight availability to Australians on social media.
DFAT said it had helped more than 26,000 Australian citizens and permanent residents return home on more than 315 flights amid the pandemic — 63 directly facilitated by the government.
Originally published as Hobart family remains stranded in the Philippines after they were not allowed to return home due to Australian quarantine limits