Covid-19 Qld: David Janetzki refuses to pay NSW quarantine bill

Queensland has rejected NSW’s latest request for reimbursement for hotel quarantine services during the pandemic. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Treasurer David Janetzki has rejected the latest invoice from NSW. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

A long-disputed $105m hotel quarantine bill New South Wales has invoiced Queensland won’t be paid by Treasurer David Janetzki.

Mr Janetzki wrote to his NSW counterpart Daniel Mookhey to reject his request for reimbursement of mandatory hotel quarantine services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Mookhey last month sought payment from the Queensland government for Queenslanders who had returned from overseas and undertaken quarantine in NSW hotels.

Mr Janetzki, in response, said Queensland would not be paying the bill.

“The Covid-19 pandemic was a difficult time for all Australians, and it was important for all governments to assist Australians seeking to return home from overseas,” he said.

“Queensland was pleased to offer hotel quarantine services to international arrivals, regardless of whether their usual residence was in New South Wales or any other part of Australia.

“I am advised that National Cabinet considered this matter several times in 2020, but did not agree to a system of reconciling hotel quarantine costs or to issue a direction that would provide a pathway for jurisdictions to do so.

“I understand that Queensland has also advised on a number of previous occasions that it will not be providing reimbursement.”

Mr Janetzki noted the Commonwealth Grant Commission’s 2025 Review considered Covid-19 expenses when it handed an extra $650m to New South Wales through GST redistribution and docked $800m from Queensland.

“Under these circumstances, the Queensland Government does not accept the request for reimbursement and considers the issue as finalised,” he said.

Originally published as Covid-19 Qld: David Janetzki refuses to pay NSW quarantine bill