Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced after the cabinet meeting on Friday that states and territories have agreed to increase the caps on returning international travellers.
Highlights:
- State and Territories have agreed to increase the caps on arrival.
- The current cap is 4,000 each week.
- States and territories have been requested to increase places available for quarantine arrangements.
He said that caps would be increased in stages.
"New South Wales will move to take an additional 500 by Monday next, so that's the 27th of September. Queensland and Western Australia from the same day will be taking additional 200 per week from the 27th of September and by the 4th of October Queensland will then move to that full 500 extra. So that will be increased by 300 again. And by the 11th of October Western Australia will go to 500 per week."
Listen to the story of Nishikant Mohanty who lost his job and is stuck in India for seven months:
null
Many people stuck overseas say this is a step in the right direction, but more flights are needed to return.
The federal government says it wants to allow the return of 6,000 Australians each week, up from the current cap of 4,000.
"Lifting the cap will help people but how could we return if there are no flights available," says Nishikanta Mohanty who is stuck in India since March this year.
The government should start the flights for us. There are no flights available to return.
Around 9,000 people have returned from India since May when Air India started flights to bring Indians back from Australia.
But, no Australian airlines are flying to and from India yet.
"Few seats are available and that too from the major cities in India," says Mr Mohanty who is in the eastern state of Odisha in India.
A permanent resident of Australia, Sydney-based Nishikant Mohanty says his life has been turned his life upside down in the last seven months.
He says, "I have lost my job. I have been paying bills and rent in Australia while I am stuck here."
He hopes that the Australian government will resume flights so that people like him can return home.
Tune into SBS Hindi at 5 pm every day and follow us on Facebook and Twitter
