Tasmania says plan to quarantine NSW international students is ‘not under consideration’

A proposal to allow international students to return to Australia has been abruptly shut down by a state being asked to shoulder the burden.

Tasmania says a plan to quarantine NSW university students in the state is “not under consideration” despite reports about discussions between the two states.

A statement from Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein confirmed his state had received an approach from the NSW Government to quarantine international students on their behalf.

“At this time, however, we have advised this is not under consideration with our priority remaining the safe management of seasonal workers entering the state and our own international students when public health advice is that it is safe to do so,” a statement from Mr Gutwein’s office said.

On Monday, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet revealed during a budget estimates hearing he’d had discussions with the Tasmanian government on a potential plan for the state to quarantine returning international students, ahead of their return to NSW, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

NSW, whose international student education sector is worth about $14 billion a year, is unable to quarantine the students because it is limited by the Federal Government cap on overseas arrivals landing in Sydney.

The state is taking the lion’s share of new arrivals, with more than 3000 people flying into the state each week, almost half of whom are not from NSW.

Mr Perrottet had hoped to come to an agreement with Tasmania to use its hotels for the students, with cost sharing from the university sector.

However, it’s a difficult issue as tens of thousands of Australians are still waiting to get a flight home because Australia has a limit on overseas arrivals of 6362 a week.

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NSW is struggling to get its international students back into the country. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Howard Springs facility in the Northern Territory would have its capacity expanded to 2000 people, up from 850, over the next few months.

However, these extra places would be for charter flights and the arrival cap will remain in place.

Western Australia and Queensland are taking about 1000 arrivals each week, and South Australia receives about 530.

Victoria suspended its arrivals again recently but Mr Morrison said he was looking forward to a decision soon from its government once they are in a position to take flights again.

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