About 20,000 Australians stranded overseas now want to come home, thousands more than two weeks ago, as the government weighs up measures to bring citizens back to the country | Gallo_Ways
Dr Webster said 402 COVID-related loans have been issued to Australians overseas since the global pandemic began, but cautioned these were only given as a last resort.
She said consular officials "in the first instance" advised Australians overseas to contact family, friends, travel insurers and their financial institutions. "It may be that they have no financial means to support themselves, in which case we stand ready as a last resort to offer traveller emergency loans," she said.The rescue plan is being worked on to respond to a range of scenarios — including if a country started deporting Australians because they had cancelled their visas and wouldn't renew them.
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