New South Wales is chasing Queensland to pay $105 million in hotel quarantine costs, after hosting some of the state’s residents during the pandemic.
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has made it clear he will pursue the bill, which was effectively written off by the previous government.
The money would cover the cost for NSW to build two new public high schools, amid a debt crisis placing pressure on the recently elected government.
A spokesman for Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said NSW is free to pursue additional funding through interstate GST arrangements.
In 2021, Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles filmed himself ripping up a $30 million tax invoice sent by the NSW government.
At the time, Mr Miles said the bill was “100 per cent a federal responsibility”.
“We’re not going to pay this bill, not while the Commonwealth refuses to endorse our plan for a national quarantine centre,” he said.
Since then, thousands more Queensland residents have quarantined in NSW up until the scheme ended in December, tipping the bill over $100 million.
Mr Mookhey told 2GB on Thursday one option would be to start deducting the debt from bills NSW owes to Queensland.
“All states have payments between each other as we all provide services to each other’s citizens,” Mr Mookhey said.
“I don’t want to create unnecessary acrimony with the Queensland government. I want them to pay their bills.”
