Editing Aussies Make Emotional Plea To Return Home
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− | <br>Exasperated Australians in heart-wrenching binds have vented emotional pleas for the government to urgently lift the cap on overseas arrivals.<br> <br>A Senate committee scrutinising the federal government's coronavirus response has heard from citizens suffering intense hardship due to travel bans.<br> <br>Canberra woman Gina De Ruyter, 24, moved to the Philippines late last year to set up an animal shelter.<br> <br>When the pandemic hit, | + | <br>Exasperated Australians in heart-wrenching binds have vented emotional pleas for the government to urgently lift the cap on overseas arrivals.<br> <br>A Senate [http://bordersalertandready.com/?s=committee%20scrutinising&search=Search committee scrutinising] the federal government's coronavirus response has heard from citizens suffering intense hardship due to travel bans.<br> <br>Canberra woman Gina De Ruyter, 24, moved to the Philippines late last year to set up an animal shelter.<br> <br>When the pandemic hit, she began working out how to ensure the 40 animals were cared for when she returned to Australia.<br> <br>She then broke her leg in two places, but the initial surgery hasn't healed.<br> <br>"It's been badly infected for two months, just weeping pus all the time," Ms De Ruyter told the committee on Thursday.<br> <br>"My leg has swollen up again with pus, but the doctor can't do anything anymore because all the hospitals are filling up with coronavirus patients."<br> <br>The young Canberran is booked on a Friday flight but like so many Australians, fears ticket cancellations that have prevented homecomings.<br> <br>Peta Stoyanovich's husband Luke and mother-in-law Stanika are stranded in Serbia.<br> <br>Mr Stoyanovich received an exemption to travel after his father died in July, with the intention of bringing his 79-year-old mother home.<br> <br>But three attempts to return to Melbourne have been thwarted and their [http://www.healthncure.net/?s=accommodation%20finishes accommodation finishes] on September 30.<br> <br>They've been split up on separate flights but there's no confidence the mother and son will board the plane.<br> <br>Peta Stoyanovich is worried her grieving mother-in-law will face airports, transit, hotel quarantine and taxis alone.<br> <br>"It's complete madness. It's absolute madness," she said through tears.<br> <br>Mrs Stoyanovich said she was shattered by the loss of confidence in Australia looking after its citizens abroad who had been left at the mercy of airlines.<br> <br>"Do your bloody job, for God's sake."<br> <br>She said the support available to Australians overseas was disgusting, while the planned weekly rise in the cap on overseas arrivals to 6000 was insulting.<br> <br>"The cap has abandoned my family and it's abandoned our citizens," Mrs Stoyanovich said.<br> <br>"They are not stranded - they are abandoned by the government."<br> <br>On her emotional state, she said: "An overwhelming sense of hopelessness just engulfs me."<br> <br>Deanne Vowels, husband Paul and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-trung-quoc-nam-ninh-truong-gia-gioi-phuong-hoang-co-tran-6-ngay.html tour phượng hoàng cổ trấn] their five children travelled to the UK for a family reunion two days before the travel ban was imposed in March.<br> <br>The Newcastle family have run out of money and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-trung-quoc-nam-ninh-truong-gia-gioi-phuong-hoang-co-tran-6-ngay.html kynghidongduong.vn] are worried about defaulting on their mortgage after having five flights home cancelled.<br> <br>"It just feels like a long-term boyfriend cheating on me. I've given my life to Australia and in my time of need they have dumped me," Mrs Vowels said.<br> <br>The family was told to upgrade to business class, which would have cost $120,000, and government officials suggested setting up a crowdfunding website.<br> <br>There are 26,700 Australians overseas who want to return home, with 4000 considered vulnerable.<br> <br>The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade defended its actions in trying to bring Australians home, arguing the caps were due to state hotel quarantine capacity.<br> <br>"Over the last six months our people have done everything possible to find pathways home for Australians. Helping Australians get home is our foremost priority," DFAT secretary Frances Adamson said.<br> <br>Meanwhile, Victoria recorded just 12 new coronavirus cases and two deaths on Thursday, taking the national toll to 861.<br> <br>Queensland will allow gatherings of up to 30 people after two weeks without community transmission.<br> <br>NSW will further ease restrictions on weddings, community sport and school activities after three days without community spread.<br> |