Coronavirus Australia: Tas goes it alone on key virus measures

Tasmania has announced its own package to help temporary visa holders and kept a ban on most visits to aged care homes.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein. Picture: Luke Bowden

Tasmania has rebuffed the Morrison government on key coronavirus policies, announcing its own package to help temporary visa-holders while retaining a ban on most visits to aged-care homes.

Premier Peter Gutwein said on Wednesday that the federal government was wrong to suggest temporary visa holders could simply “go home”, announcing $3m in state support after failing to persuade Canberra to act.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch also rejected Scott Morrison’s call for multiple daily visits to be allowed to elderly residents of aged-care homes, saying the state’s ban on most visits would remain for the time being.

Tasmania’s differences with the commonwealth come as it ramps up testing for coronavirus, initially on the northwest coast, where a major outbreak had by Wednesday afternoon infected 114 people, mostly hospital staff.

Mr Gutwein said he had raised the plight of foreign workers who had lost jobs with the federal government to no avail and had decided to step in.

“There are a significant number of temporary visa holders in Tasmania who have lost their jobs due to the restrictions that have been put in place to ensure that we can protect public health,” he said.

“In many cases, they are experiencing hardship and income loss … Many are students, many work in the fruit-picking industry, many are skilled workers in hospitality and … health.

“Many will be unable to return to their home country due to border restrictions. There are many people that have been living and working in Tasmania who are not in a position where they can return to Italy, to Spain or to New York.”

Supporting people who had contributed to the state’s economy in their “hour of need” was only “fair and reasonable” and the package would provide $250 in immediate relief, or $1000 for families, he said.

As well, charities would be funded to provide those people with emergency relief, and support provided to help them return home when they could, while the government would work with industry to ensure sufficient skills were retained for economic recovery. Dr Veitch said despite understanding the “logic” of the Prime Minister’s call for aged-care home residents to be allowed two daily visitors, the state would retain its ban, given the ongoing outbreaks.

“The directions that we apply we always do with great care and awareness of consequences,” he said. “We are reviewing it almost constantly.”

Officials urged anyone with cold or flu symptoms in the northwest to come forward for testing. The results would determine whether a hard lockdown in the northwest could be eased from Sunday.