As of July 16, less than a quarter of applications for essential traveller status in Tasmania had been approved, with only 20 per cent granted on compassionate grounds.
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The figures represent exemptions granted to Tasmanians before the launch of a new online travel registration system on Thursday.
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As of July 16:
- 5370 essential traveller applications had been received
- 1265 had been approved (application numbers, not individual people, as applications can cover more than one person)
- 3701 compassionate applications had been received
- 728 compassionate applications had been approved
Since Thursday, more than 2000 registrations for a G2G PASS have been made.
A State Control spokesperson said of those assessed so far, almost 450 had been approved with directions.
However, more than 400 had been rejected.
The pass was introduced on July 16 for people wanting to travel to Tasmania, including Tasmanian residents and is designed to inform people if their travel application is successful and under what conditions.
It replaces the previous paper-based process and is scanned by Biosecurity Tasmania officers at arrival ports.
However, if travelling from July 17 anyone with a previously approved essential traveller application were required to reapply.
This included those granted exemptions for work, compassionate or medical reasons.
For Hobart man Tony Robertson, trying to navigate the new system proved challenging.
The 41-year-old travelled to Melbourne two weeks ago for surgery to resolve complications from an earlier kidney-pancreas transplant. He has been in hospital ever since.
Due to be discharged on Friday, he said trying to get back to Tasmania almost broke him, after his initial application for an exemption was knocked back.
"Every step along the way I was trying to do the right thing, but I got no help or support," he said.
"I didn't want to be going out in Melbourne in the community. I just wanted to come straight home and that's all I was trying to do.
"Basically, anything I tried to do then got wiped out, because we had to go through a whole new process. Everyone I talked to said they couldn't help me.
"I had two letters from different doctors - my specialist saying I need to be at home or in a hospital. I even had a negative COVID swab.
"The other day I was that broken thinking what do I do, I don't know where else to turn."
Mr Robertson said he ended up booking a flight back to Tasmania before his exemption was approved, knowing he was not fit to go into hotel quarantine.
Fortunately, his G2G PASS came through shortly before his flight left Melbourne.
While understanding of the measures put in place, he said the experience had left him with little faith in the system.
"Being on immunosuppressants, I can't afford to be exposed to anything. But the hospital was going to discharge me, so where was I suppose to go? What was I meant to do?
"I also knew with what's happening in Victoria, if I didn't get out of there yesterday [Friday], I doubt I would have ever got out of there.
"I am sure I am not alone in this and there has to be a better process, particularly for people dealing with medical issues.
"All I have ever wanted to do is the right thing. Now, I am with my wife and daughter at home and we are going to quarantine for 14 days. We have no intention of doing the wrong thing."
A State Control spokesperson said help for G2G PASS applications was available online, with people also able to submit a request for technical support.
"There will be some delays in the processing of travel applications during the cross-over period between the new and old system and we thank all travellers for their patience," they said.
It comes after numerous fly-in fly-out workers spoke out about their struggles since the pandemic hit in March.
On Saturday, Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister Jeremy Rockliff said he would seek advice on reported issues of people navigating the system.
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Jessica Willard
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
