NSW lashes out over Qld refusal to pay hotel quarantine bill

Mr Miles said the refusal to pay the $30 million until repatriation flights were allowed to land at Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport was about “stepping up where the Commonwealth has failed” by proposing the national quarantine facility in southern Queensland.

He tabled the invoice from the NSW government for hotel quarantine stays between March and September last year.

“NSW quarantined 7112 arrivals during the above period who provided a residence address in your state,” the invoice reads. “A further 4991 arrivals did not have an Australian address recorded and have been allocated proportionally across states and territories and are included in your cost allocation.”

Mr Miles said Queensland would not pay the bill, which was due on March 19.

“Scott Morrison is like a school bully telling us we have to give our lunch money to NSW,” he said.

“We will not be paying that bill, not while the Commonwealth refuses to endorse our plan for a national quarantine centre.”

Mr Miles said recent cases of more infectious strains of COVID-19 had “highlighted the need for purpose-built facilities”.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said it was extraordinary that Queensland was refusing to pay its quarantine bill for returning Queenslanders entering NSW.

“We acted in good faith in this process and it is disappointing that this agreement is now being treated in this way,” Mr Perrottet said. “Acting in the national interest, NSW has taken many more overseas arrivals than any other state.

“With that has come greater cost and an increased risk to our quarantine staff, health workers and citizens. I’m confident the tens of thousands of people who have been able to return to Australia through Sydney would be left shaking their heads at this political stunt.”