Unsuspecting visitors to the state’s quarantine hotels during the Covid-19 pandemic have been slapped with hefty bills by the NSW Government, with a warning that if they don’t pay up their bank accounts will be accessed and the money taken anyway. 

Vanessa received an urgent notice in the mail for a whopping $3,065 addressed to her son Nathan regarding a stint in hotel quarantine two years ago whilst transiting through Sydney.

The notice read: ‘You are receiving this notice because you have not paid your overdue fees to Sydney Local Health District. Revenue NSW is about to take further action to recover this debt.’

‘We may take money from your bank account or wages, the NSW Sheriff may seize goods or property you own.’

 ‘We may also register an interest on any land that you own,’ it stated.

As Nathan currently resides in the United States, Vanessa called the number on the invoice to pay but was told by the operator she would need ‘some sort of signed agreement’ from her son to act on his behalf. 

‘No, I haven’t [paid the bill] as of yet,’ Vanessa told 2GB‘s Ben Fordham on Wednesday.

‘I haven’t got the signed declaration from my son to say I could handle his account on his behalf.’

When asked if her son had been dodging the whopping debt, Vanessa said it was the first time she’d heard about any sort of outstanding payments. 

Caller Vanessa said her son Nathan had been billed a whopping $3,065 from his stay in hotel quarantine two years ago (pictured, the invoice)

Caller Vanessa said her son Nathan had been billed a whopping $3,065 from his stay in hotel quarantine two years ago (pictured, the invoice)

Caller Vanessa said her son Nathan had been billed a whopping $3,065 from his stay in hotel quarantine two years ago (pictured, the invoice)

Nathan currently resides in the US and so Vanessa went to pay the bill for him, only to be told by the government operator she was unable to do so without his authorisation (stock image)

Nathan currently resides in the US and so Vanessa went to pay the bill for him, only to be told by the government operator she was unable to do so without his authorisation (stock image)

Nathan currently resides in the US and so Vanessa went to pay the bill for him, only to be told by the government operator she was unable to do so without his authorisation (stock image)

‘I was going to go ahead and pay it so if my son came back to visit he wouldn’t have a black cloud hanging over his head. If they can access his bank account, I fear they may flag his passport or something,’ she added.

‘So they can go into your son’s bank account without permission but you can’t pay the outstanding invoice without permission?’ Fordham asked the caller.

‘Absolutely. The hypocrisy – how weird!’ she laughed. 

Vanessa said her son will end up paying the bill, albeit unhappily.

‘Simply because it appears – not to sound over the top – that communist Australia is going to chase us,’ she said. 

Mandatory 14-day isolation in hotel quarantine hubs upon arrival into the country to help curb the spread of Covid-19 was introduced for anyone who flew into Australia between March 2020 and November 2021. 

The NSW Government has warned those who do not pay off their debt that they cannot escape the fees, stating that bank accounts or wages will be accessed to recoup the funds (pictured, an Australian resident's picture while in mandatory hotel quarantine in September, 2020)

The NSW Government has warned those who do not pay off their debt that they cannot escape the fees, stating that bank accounts or wages will be accessed to recoup the funds (pictured, an Australian resident's picture while in mandatory hotel quarantine in September, 2020)

The NSW Government has warned those who do not pay off their debt that they cannot escape the fees, stating that bank accounts or wages will be accessed to recoup the funds (pictured, an Australian resident’s picture while in mandatory hotel quarantine in September, 2020)

The scheme started off free but the Berejiklian government introduced fees in July 2020 – costing $3,000 for one adult, $1,000 for each additional adult and $500 for each child over the age of three years as of September 2020. 

Anyone who could prove they had booked their flight to Australia before July 18, 2020 had their debts waived. 

In June last year, Revenue NSW released information stating $58.6million was still yet to be collected in unpaid hotel quarantine bills from both residents and interstate and overseas visitors. 

Brianna also stayed in one of Sydney’s quarantine hotels during her 14-day isolation period and said this invoice was the first time she’d heard about the outstanding debt.

‘I can confirm this is the first bill I’ve ever got. I’ve never been notified about it before,’ she said on-air.

The caller said she did not receive a bill at check-out either.

‘This is the first time I’ve heard from them, and they’ve already put on a $65 debt recovery fee. This was two-and-a-half years ago,’ Brianna added. 

‘It just came straight as a final notice really.’

Revenue NSW has been contacted for comment. 

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