Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for his question. We're certainly aware that many Australians are facing hardship overseas because of the global travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Australians have been able to return—more than 379,000—since the government advised Australians to reconsider their need to travel overseas. However, about 30,000 people are registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as being overseas and of those about 20,000 have expressed a wish to return. The government, through its network of DFAT consular staff, has been helping those Australians, with a focus on people who are most vulnerable because they have no means to support themselves or perhaps have medical conditions.

Today the government has indicated that we will provide further support through an expanded hardship program, which will build on our existing traveller emergency loans program. These are one-off loans which will be available to cover emergency living costs until a person is able to return. Loans will also be available to help with the cost of airline tickets to return to Australia. Loans will be made to the most vulnerable Australians, and applicants will need to meet strict eligibility requirements, including, for instance, being able to show that they have attempted to return to Australia. This financial assistance is available to Australians, much like the traveller emergency loans, as a last resort. For further information, we of course continue to encourage people to visit smartraveller.gov.au. We understand that many Australians have found themselves in difficult circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions globally, as I said. The program we are announcing today will alleviate some of this hardship.