Victoria set for billion-dollar jackpot as governments play ‘pass the parcel’ with students
International university students may soon be welcomed again in Victoria despite Sydneysiders still being shut out.
The Australian reports Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will approach National Cabinet with a proposal to create a separate quota for student arrivals within the state’s hotel quarantine system.
The industry is worth $40 billion nationally, and $8 billion in Victoria alone.
International Education Association CEO Phil Honeywood told Joe Hildebrand while Mr Andrews has floated the idea, no-one knows when or if it’ll eventuate.
He pointed out NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had proposed a similar scheme but later backed down when the northern beaches cluster emerged.
“There’s a bit of a game of pass the parcel going on between the federal and state governments.
“Because the Prime Minister has indicated that quarantine is a state government responsibility, and that the chief medical officers in each state have suddenly become de-facto premiers in many cases, then … unfortunately the federal government can, when they choose to, wash their hands of this.”
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Image: Getty, Nine News