Other state and territory leaders also agreed at national cabinet’s meeting on Friday to consider taking repatriation flights. Mr Morrison said NSW,Victoria and Queensland were likely to take such flights and South Australia is also considering it.
That would take the number of repatriation flights from India arriving in May to six,still two fewer than were scheduled before the travel ban was put in place. Each flight will carry about 150 people.
“What’s important is that the biosecurity order that we have put in place has been highly effective,it’s doing the job that we needed it to do,and that was to ensure that we could do everything we can to prevent a third wave of COVID-19 here in Australia,” Mr Morrison said.
He will speak with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi later on Friday to see what further assistance Australia can give.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade first assistant secretary Lynette Wood told a parliamentary COVID-19 committee on Friday afternoon that 9500 Australians were registered as wanting to come home from India,and 950 were listed as vulnerable.
Mr Morrison has asked DFAT to review everyone registered in India to make sure their details are current and to prioritise people for the charter flights.
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Australians who test positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed to board flights,and the government has introduced a double-testing regime before departure to catch more cases of the disease before it reaches the country.
Mr Morrison has previously said medical evacuation flights would be available for those who require urgent medical support.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell will also appear before the Senate COVID-19 committee on Friday afternoon,over what the government is doing to help citizens stranded in India.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly will also be asked abouthis advice on halting flights from India in the hearing.
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