Australia announces 14 day self isolation for international arrivals

[Don Mega]

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Linkage, without reference, to a Thai politician is very obscure for an Oz topic. Yes I'm Australian, but not a bogan as some on this forum obviously are.

sux to be you then.

[simple1]

3 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

sux to be you then.

Thanks for your concern, but I'm well. 

[Don Mega]

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Thanks for your concern, but I'm well. 

good to hear.

[Olmate]

3 hours ago, madmen said:

Well unfortunately I fly in on the 20th , however as part of the stimulus package all pensioners get $750 if in the country on 31st march so I get paid $375 A WEEK to stay home and watch netflix an 0rder woolworths home delivery ( if there is anything left to deliver) and drink superb wine with superb cheeses?. I can live with that

Any idea if $750 is paid if living here, I have read it as must be in Oz on 12th March?

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, madmen said:

Well unfortunately I fly in on the 20th , however as part of the stimulus package all pensioners get $750 if in the country on 31st march so I get paid $375 A WEEK to stay home and watch netflix an 0rder woolworths home delivery ( if there is anything left to deliver) and drink superb wine with superb cheeses?. I can live with that

$375 a week doesn't go far in Oz unless you have a roof over your head as well.

Woolworths? Aldi is much better value, although possibly they don't deliver.

I'm returning in August, surgical procedure scheduled a week later. Hoping it's all blown over by then.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Drink beer and masturbate furiously.

I abstain in Oz, and catch up with my GF when I get back to Thailand.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

is the ability to buy toilet paper online really an issue for someone self isolating.... am sure they can come up with other means to clean their behinds.

Australia is well behind Thailand ( double entendre fully intended ). Plumbers won't install bum washers without extra incentive. They claim cunning bacteria can swim backwards into mains water.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, UbonThani said:

What if someone has 5 kids? They supposed to pay for hotel costing $1500?

 

This is madness

Hire a caravan, and stay on the Rosebud foreshore. Plenty of vacancies now.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, madmen said:

How do you eat? 

I normally use a knife and fork.

[madmen]

3 hours ago, UbonThani said:

But they cant enforce it.

 

Cardboard wine isnt worth drinking

They can via police spot checks. You want to risk a $13000 fine buy ducking out to your local for a schooner? Expensive beer that one 

[madmen]

32 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Any idea if $750 is paid if living here, I have read it as must be in Oz on 12th March?

Only on oz soil 

[madmen]

1 hour ago, pdtokyo said:

Australian ''self-isolation" measures in force from midnight tonight only just announced ... as usual from current Oz government, there are few signs implementation has been planned or the folder taken off the shelf marked "Things to do in case of a pandemic" ... but speculation about where people in this situation get their food, water, toilet paper is very premature and from a few recent posts here, often silly and unhelpful.

 

The NSW (state-level) premier has just indicated it will for the time being be conducted on a 'voluntary' basis and only in extreme cases (she hinted at recent publicised case of ''malicious coughing" !) will law enforcement be involved. This is a no-brainer, cops are flat-chat doing other more useful stuff right now.

 

More likely ... similar conditions to many other countries with 'lockdowns' in place for weeks already ... OK to go seeking food, medical assistance etc. 

 

There's really nothing new or alarming here, governments of all stripes usually give themselves powers to question/restrain/detain the occasional loopy infectious individual who puts their 'freedom' above 'public health' . From Typhoid Mary through HIV to COVID-19 these laws are always there and only activated when required.

So you saying no need to quarantine unless we feel like it? Who is going to ever feel like doing that? 

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

I'm not trying to be smart ... simply helpful ... but do you have a Plan B for the surgery? Even if the virus (as i expect) eventually fizzles and herd immunity kicks in, imo it's likely the Oz health system will be gasping to catch up for the rest of the year ... 

Plan B is to reschedule. My urologist's surgery list expands and contracts on a daily basis. I have top level private health cover in Oz, and his receptionists are always helpful.

Thanks for your concern, it's nice to see a poster who is not smartarse. Although I've been guilty many times.

[Lacessit]

12 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Again ... important to ex-pats ... please assist them by posting a link to your source of information.

I am wondering about that too. Guess we'll find out April 1. What a coincidence.

[MikeN]

3 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

... sorry, i don't understand that reply. 

 

my point was that ...

NZ announced a policy on day 1 by press conference (and had guidelines available on day 1)

Oz government announced an identical policy by press-release on day 2 (no updated guidelines as yet, i just looked).

... do you dispute any of that?

The original point was that the govt was putting Australians first, not that they were the first to do it. Do you understand any of that ?

[madmen]

3 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Apparently most of the population of France, Italy and Spain to name a few, are so far observing lockdown guidelines so ... no significant enforcement ... i exclude China because there is a high degree of coercion there ... but most people, including the Chinese population, are rational and follow guidelines they consider fair and reasonable ... this continues until, for example ...

 

(a) the restrictions stay in force for too 'long' a time (insert your own definition there) and stop being 'reasonable'

and/or

(b) significant numbers are observed 'cheating' (insert your own definition there) and the system stops being 'fair'.

 

In short ... imo most people see the common good and don't immediately look for the loophole and jump through it ... unless we are talking about Sydney.

My point exactly 

It's being done because it's the right thing to do. regardless if one actually feels like it 

[Olmate]

28 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Read where? A source would be appreciated ... as i have posted elsewhere as far as i know the $750 goes unconditionally* to all recipients of government benefits and i have seen no indication that ex-pats would be carved out.

 

If have actual information please link to it.

 

* some weasel words around payments to casual worker beneficiaries

A  pensioner site with a ref to Centrelink,sorry I can,t post the link but google 750 pensioner payment in Oz

[MikeN]

7 minutes ago, madmen said:

My point exactly 

It's being done because it's the right thing to do. regardless if one actually feels like it 

Except for the guy who flew from Brisbane to NZ when he was supposed to be self isolating while waiting for his test results ! 

So not everybody will put the common good first ...

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, Olmate said:

A  pensioner site with a ref to Centrelink,sorry I can,t post the link but google 750 pensioner payment in Oz

There doesn't seem to be any mention of different treatment for Australian pensioners outside Australia.

April 1 will tell the tale. How appropriate.

[Airalee]

4 hours ago, madmen said:

Well unfortunately I fly in on the 20th , however as part of the stimulus package all pensioners get $750 if in the country on 31st march so I get paid $375 A WEEK to stay home and watch netflix an 0rder woolworths home delivery ( if there is anything left to deliver) and drink superb wine with superb cheeses?. I can live with that

Sounds awesome!

[Olmate]

41 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Actually, last i read, payments commence "from March 31st" ... i hope we all know why marketing people use the word "from" and i hope we all know Scotty From Marketing.

No link there from you either blue ? 

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, pdtokyo said:

So ... no link then?

Thanks i won't do your job and "google 750 pensioner payment in Oz"

Up to you old son, it seems you can,t google or just a smart alec

[0zr0cks]

6 hours ago, madmen said:

13 k fine and police checks? 

What does police checks really mean? 

Guess it means they can knock on your door and ask to see you...not home...boing!

[ozfarang]

You must be residing in Australia on the 12 March 2020 receive the aged pension or hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) or Commonwealth Gold Card to receive the one off payment of $750

 

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/covid-19-information-and-support

Edited March 15, 2020 by ozfarang

[Kinnock]

7 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Order online, the supermarkets do that in this day and age.

Not if all the staff are cowering at home.

 

 

[Don Mega]

13 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Thank you ozfarang ... at last an actual document posted !!

 

The actual wording ...

(a) To be eligible, you must be residing in Australia and be receiving one of the following payments or hold one of the following concession cards on 12 March 2020:

 

...  my emphasis on the ... or ... the second leg of which imo means all recipients of an age pension who hold a card (not means-tested so that likely means everyone) will receive the payment.

 

The usual disclaimers around anything that comes out of Clink, they can 'deem' anything they damn well please, but if i was a card-carrying Oz age-pensioner resident in Thailand right now i would allow myself a little 'whoopee'. 

 

 

Reads to me like a concession card is cancelled after being out of Aus for 6 weeks.

 

https://guides.dss.gov.au/guide-social-security-law/3/9/4/20

[simple1]

12 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Good point Don Mega.

 

it would seem hold the "whoopee" in most ex-pat cases.

 

i think myself lucky i'm still Oz-resident.

 

In my case already blown the $750 on a ticket (exactly $750!) to get my Thai partner here next month ... so my stimulus $ are on their way to Singapore via Scoot courtesy of Scott ... it's a funny old world.

Currently there is no guarantee when the international arrivals 14 day isolation requirement will cease. On the other hand you may consider it beneficial to have enforced isolation for you and partner! It is possible the Oz government will stop all international arrivals from Covid-19 outbreak countries such as Thailand. Note that travel insurance for nonrefundable costs are not valid as WHO has declared Covid-19 as a pandemic. 

[HTC]

Are there any restrictions for transiting through Australian airports?

[Lacessit]

57 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

 

Insurance? i try to avoid like the plague and unless it is legally required and self-insure. Not a fetish, evidence-based. i've worked for insurance companies and know the lengths they will go to, to avoid a claim. Others may have different preferences of course.

Totally agree. I have not had travel insurance for ten years. The cost would have been in the thousands of dollars, and once I hit 70 the options reduced and the cost escalated.

In that time, my only payout from self-insurance was a cancelled flight worth $350 from Melbourne to Bangkok.

[simple1]

16 minutes ago, HTC said:

Are there any restrictions for transiting through Australian airports?

No