Highlights
- India has the highest number of stranded Australians (10,994), followed by UK, US, Philippines, Thailand
- Of those in India, 209 are minors and 1024 vulnerable Australians
- Australia has approved only three government-facilitated flights from India in June
On 3 June, the Australian government said that it has approved three repatriation flights from India this month, while eight such flights have landed in Australia since it revoked the temporary travel ban on India on 15 May.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and other officials from the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee provided this information at the Senate Estimates hearing following questions from Labor Senator Penny Wong.
Officials from the committee informed the House that as of 28 May, 35,128 Australians stranded overseas have expressed their willingness to return to Australia. Of these, 10,994 are in India.
Amongst these, 1024 were categorised as vulnerable and 209 as ‘single registered minors’.
Queensland-based Neha Sandhu, who has been facilitating the return of stranded Australians from India since April 2020, said that the parents of such children are disappointed.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne. Source: AAP Image/Lukas Coch
“The government should announce a clear-cut plan for bringing back stranded children from India. There should be some dedicated seats on flights for such kids,” Ms Sandhu told SBS Hindi.
Committee officials said that India has the highest number of stranded Australians, followed by the UK, the US, Philippines and Thailand.
Queensland-based Neha Sandhu has been facilitating the return of stranded Australians in India since April 2020. Source: Supplied by Neha Sandhu
Senator Wong questioned the government about its plan and timeline of bringing back unaccompanied minors and vulnerable Australians from India.
“As soon as possible,” a committee official responded to Ms Wong, suggesting that they were unable to provide a timeframe as some stranded Australians refuse to fly back because of their circumstances.
The official said these people are a priority for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Penny Wong Source: AAP
Senator Wong also enquired about the number of Australians and flights that have arrived from India.
To this, the committee official replied that eight flights, each carrying up to 150 passengers, have landed in Australia since the travel ban on India was revoked on 15 May.
Three of these flights landed at Darwin in addition to one each in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
“How many more facilitated flights are currently scheduled,” Senator Wong asked.
The official replied that so far, the government has approved and facilitated three from India and two from Europe, before the end of June.
Repatriation flights into Howard Springs resumed on 15 May. Source: AAP Image/Glenn Campbell
“We have plans going forward (for future flights), but the specific plans haven’t been finalised. All three are going to Howard Springs.
“We have signed a contract with Qantas for three flights. We do it on a rolling basis,” the official explained, adding that the government has not yet approved any facilitated flight for July.
“But that doesn’t mean that they are not planned,” the official added.
The official also mentioned that the committee has information about two stranded Australians who have died from coronavirus infection in India.
