Melbourne man stranded overseas shines light on plight of Aussies
A Melbourne man who flew to the UK to be with his dying father in June has been bumped from his return flight five times and is growing increasingly distressed he won’t be allowed to return.
Victoria
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A Melbourne father who flew to the UK to say goodbye to his dying father in June now won’t get home until at least Christmas because of tight caps on overseas arrivals.
Aspendale man Nick Garside has been bumped from his return flight five times and is growing increasingly distressed he will not be allowed back in before his mother-in-law dies after she fell ill while he was away.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is proposing RAAF planes be sent around the world to pick up and return the approximately 25,000 stranded Aussies and for the caps on arrivals to be lifted.
“They could be put in place now to bring Australians home,” Mr Albanese said.
Mr Garside is now booked to fly into Sydney in mid December, where he would be held in hotel quarantine over Christmas.
“They (the federal government) have just got to get people home, back to their jobs and their families,” Mr Garside said.
“It’s absolutely despicable, deplorable. I really need to be around my family now but it’s like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.”
ABF Commissioner Michael Outram said existing quarantine facilities like Christmas Island could not be to quarantine returned travellers because they were now being used.
He said it was up to states and territories to increase their arrivals limits.
“I don’t have the authority to direct the states and territories to do anything and of course these are all based on discussions at the AHPPC and the national cabinet and the each state and territory has set these caps,” Mr Outram told the ABC.
“If that cap was to double overnight we’d be delighted and we could certainly facilitate those people.”
A federal government spokesman said the cap would be assessed again at Friday’s national cabinet meeting, dismissing calls for RAAF planes to be used.
“Commercial airlines continue to play a vital role in bringing Australians home and have the capacity to repatriate more Australians should the caps be increased,” the spokesman said.
Mr Garside’s local member Mark Dreyfus said many Australians stuck overseas were going through pain and trauma and being unable to return was making their situations worse.
“Nick’s inability to return to Australia despite his ongoing efforts, at such a terrible time, has been deeply distressing for him and his family,” Mr Dreyfus said.
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