Tasmania hotel quarantine escapee Tim Gunn: Cost to State Government revealed

The snap lockdown sparked by hotel quarantine escapee Tim Gunn has cost the Tasmanian Government an eye-watering amount in compensation to local businesses.

Tim Gunn escaped hotel quarantine at the Travelodge Hotel in Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

The snap lockdown sparked by hotel quarantine escapee Tim Gunn cost the Tasmanian Government $3.5 million in compensation to local businesses, it’s been revealed.

On October 15 last year the state government imposed a three-day lockdown in Southern Tasmania after a man escaped hotel quarantine.

Albury man Tim Gunn made headlines when he lied about travelling from the then high-risk NSW area during the pandemic before escaping from hotel quarantine while he was unknowingly Covid-positive.

He absconded to Bridgewater where he was later caught by police.

Tim Gunn.

The government blamed the lockdown on Gunn’s refusal to tell contact tracers about his movements.

Gunn was later sentenced to six months in jail for a range of offences and fined $1500.

The cost to the government has been now detailed in the Department of State Growth annual report, with the government paying millions in compensation to businesses impacted by the lockdown.

“When southern Tasmania was required to go into a snap three-day lockdown, nearly $3.5 million in immediate financial support was provided to affected businesses to get them through the sudden forced closure of their operations,” the annual report said.

A newspaper stand with The Mercury headlining the lockdown is seen on October 16, 2021 in Hobart.

The report also outlined other payments and loans to mitigate the impact of Covid restrictions throughout the pandemic.

State Growth paid $165m in grants to businesses from March 2020 to the end of 2021/22.

The grants were shared by 31,000 Tasmanian businesses.

The Australian Government chipped in $36.5m.

Other Covid support payments via State Growth included:

• $73m in payments via the joint state-Commonwealth Micro and Small Business – Border Closure Critical Support Package
• $1m through the Regional Hospitality Revival Fund. This provided rebates of up to $1500 to hospitality venues
• $560,000 through the Event Ready grant program, which offers grants of up to $5000 to organisers of new and existing events
• $1.2m for a Covid-19 Small Business Advice and Financial Guidance Program
• $60m for a Business Growth loan scheme
• $6.5m for a Business Impact Support Program
• $4.3 million for the Rapid Response Skills Initiative

Originally published as Tasmania hotel quarantine escapee Tim Gunn: Cost to State Government revealed