NSW claims Queensland owes $105 million for hotel quarantine

Daniel Mookhey told Ben Fordham on 2GB that the Queensland government owed NSW $105 million from hotel quarantine bills racked up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the government was pursuing that money through the GST carve-up, but if it was not forthcoming, he would “reserve the right” to deduct what was owed from payments made from NSW to Queensland.

Mookhey claimed the money had been written off by the previous government and that he was “not optimistic” about getting it back.

“I don’t want to create unnecessary acrimony with the Queensland government, I want them to pay their bills,” he said.

9news.com.au has contacted the Queensland Treasury for comment.

The NSW government says Queensland’s outstanding hotel quarantine bill came after Australian citizens were required by law to spend two weeks in quarantine when returning to the country.

Treasurer of NSW Daniel Mookhey says they will pursue all unpaid debts. (Dion Georgopoulos)

At the time a large proportion of international flights were landing in Sydney, where residents would complete their quarantine before travelling to their home state or territory.

During the pandemic, the then-NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said there was an agreement among the country’s treasurers that each state would foot the bill for their residents returning from overseas.

Some weeks later it was agreed that the travellers themselves would be required to foot the bill, estimated to be around $3000 for two weeks quarantine.

hotel quarantine sydney — The NSW government is chasing $105 million in hotel quarantine bills from Queensland. (RHETT WYMAN)

Meanwhile, Mookhey confirmed the state government would continue to also pursue hotel bills accrued in the same period by individuals, some of whom recently received a warning that the government could take the money from their bank accounts or wages.

Mookhey told Fordham he had directed Revenue NSW to get in touch with people who’d told 2GB they’d received such warnings.

“They’re on standby to work with these people,” he said.

He said the government had waived or reduced debts for about 7000 people, and that there were hardship provisions in place for those who were struggling to pay.