The eye-watering sum Victoria owes NSW for quarantining returned travellers

FIRST with NEIL MITCHELL

New South Wales has sent Victoria a bill of more than $34 million for quarantining returned Victorians during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NSW took a significant number of returned Victorians last year because of issues with Victoria’s own hotel quarantine system.

NSW is now demanding $34,272,389 for taking returned travellers from March 29 to September 30, 2020.

Victoria isn’t the only state which owes NSW for taking returned travellers.

Queensland is refusing to pay NSW more than $30 million for quarantining 7112 Queensland residents.

In a statement, the Andrews government said it intends to pay the bill.

“We intend to reimburse NSW for the cost of providing quarantine for Victorian returned travellers,” a Victorian government spokesperson said.

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