Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has been grilled about the need for more quarantine camps.  

Australia’s borders were slammed shut in March 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and Mengenali Prediksi HK the government has warned overseas holidays could remain off limits until mid-2022.  

Mr Frydenberg made no apologies for border closures on the Today show on Wednesday, when he faced tough questions about quarantine facilities and the vaccination rollout. 

Big businesses in Victoria and Queensland have backed proposals to develop quarantine camps to accommodate returned travellers instead of hotels, similar to former mining camp Howard Springs in the Northern Territory. 

‘If you’ve got the support of big business, why not go ahead and do these things?’ Today co-host Karl Stefanovic said.

The federal government is looking at a detailed proposal from the Victorian government for a designated quarantine facility.

‘We’re happy to talk to the other states but if this facility from Victoria goes ahead, it’s between 500 and 2,000 beds, it would be a designated facility,” Mr Frydenberg told the program.

There are growing calls to develop more quarantine camps similar to Howard Springs in the Northern Territory (pictured)

‘The other thing that we’ve said to the states is that we would welcome proposals, we’d look favourably upon proposals about bringing cohorts of international students in. 

‘But it would have to be above the quarantine cap.  It’d have to be ticked off by their Chief Medical Officer. 

‘We make no apologies about keeping Australians safe and that means having an effective quarantine policy in place.’

Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) was grilled on the Today show as the debate over reopening Australia’s borders continues.

The treasurer was grilled to why more quarantine camps are only being considered now 

Today co-host Allison Langdon asked why quarantine camps are only be discussed now, 14 months after Australia closed its border due to the pandemic.

‘We’ve actually announced half a billion dollars of new spending to upgrade the Howard Springs quarantine camp in the Northern Territory from 580 beds to 2,000 beds,’ Mr Frydenberg said.

‘But National Cabinet took a decision, back in March, that the states would implement the quarantine facilities under their public health orders, because they had responsibilities around logistics, health care and of course law enforcement, Mengenali Prediksi HK and but for the situation in Victoria, by and large, quarantine has been very effective.’

The latest poll reveals 30 per cent of Australians don’t want to get the vaccine.

Mr Frydenberg understands some Australians are hesitant and agreed a passport may be answer to getting more Australian vaccinated.

‘I think everyone should roll up their sleeves, felt the jab, and therefore we’ll have a safer place,’ he said

‘The Prime Minister has been talking about how, when we get the vaccine rollout to more people, and ultimately, we get the virus under control, then we can start to see changes around restrictions for people with the vaccine, either domestically or internationally when they travel, so there will be incentives that are in place over time.’