Kerre Woodham: Is it the Government's responsibility to get you home?

I just want to get your opinion. This follows a, shall we say, spirited discussion in the office around people who are trapped overseas and how they get home. I'd love to hear from people who might have been in this position before, trapped overseas because of acts of war or closed borders or forces of nature. What did you do and what was your expectation? Did you think it was the responsibility of the government taxpayer to get you home? And if you had chosen to live overseas and then the world turned mad, again, is it the responsibility of the government taxpayer to get you home?  

I find it really interesting and a little bit sad that people are complaining the government taxpayer should be doing more to help family members trapped in Dubai because of the enormous disruption to flights caused by the Iranian conflict. Sure, the Government sent a Defence Force plane to Iran last year during the Israel-Iran conflict, and during Covid we partnered with Australia to get stranded travellers out of Wuhan in 2020, but I really don't believe there should be an expectation that if you have chosen to travel or chosen to live in another country and then the mud hits the fan for whatever reason, that you will automatically and immediately be rescued.  

I had family living overseas in London for a while, and if they had suddenly found themselves in the middle of a war, I'd be doing all I could to get them out. And if there was a plane there, I would want them on it, whether it was a government plane, a commercial aircraft, whatever, I would be doing all I could to get them out of there, absolutely. But I wouldn't expect the government taxpayer to do it for me. I have been stranded overseas before when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull blew up. I was in Paris doing the Paris Marathon, airspace over Europe was closed, travel insurance didn't help, and you were on your own. And there are worse places to be than trapped in Paris in the springtime, I will grant you that. And it was ash blowing into the cities, not Iranian missiles, but statistically right now, although that could change at any minute, there would be more chance of me being run over on the Champs Élysées back then than killed by a missile in Dubai right now.  

But that's statistics and that emotion doesn't come into it, I get that. When your loved ones are stranded overseas, you want them home and you want them safe. But is it on the taxpayer to provide that? I don't think so, but am I being a heartless moll? I've been accused of that before. But I just, you know, I get the emotion, I totally do, because I've been there. You want your loved ones home, you want to get home, but I never assumed that my first port of call would be the Government. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the carry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talks, he'd be.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
I do want to talk about the boot camp, the
second young offend of boot camp being given the green light,
but I'll talk about that a little later. First time,
I just want to get your opinion. This follows a
should we say, spirited discussion in the office around people

(00:32):
who are trapped overseas and how they get home. I'd
love to hear from people who might have been in
this position before, trapped overseas because of acts of war
or closed borders or forces of nature. What did you
do and what was your expectation? Did you think it
was the responsibility of the government slash taxpayer to get

(00:55):
you home? And if you had chosen to live overseas
and then the world turned mad again, is it the
responsibility of the government slash taxpayer to get your home?
I find it really interesting and a little bit sad
that people are complaining the government slash taxpayer should be

(01:17):
doing more to help family members trapped and do bai
because of the enormous disruption to flights caused by the
Iranian conflict. Sure the government center Defense Force plane to
Iran last year during the Israel Arun conflict and during COVID.
We partnered with Australia to get stranded travelers out of

(01:38):
Wuhan in twenty twenty. But I really don't believe there
should be an expectation that if you have chosen to
travel or chosen to live in other countries and then
the mird hits the fan, whatever reason, that you will
automatically and immediately be rescued. I had family living overseas

(02:05):
and for a while, and if they had suddenly found
themselves in the middle of a war, I'd be doing
all I could to get them out. And if there
was a plane there, I would want them on it,
whether it was a government plane, a commercial aircraft, whatever,
I would be doing all I could to get them
out of there, absolutely, But I wouldn't expect the government

(02:27):
slash taxpayer to do it for me. I have been
stranded overseas before. When the Icelandic volcano a Fiat La Yokut.
Who's been listening to Google pronunciation me I have and
probably still got it wrong, never could pronounce it. Then

(02:50):
when that blew up, I was in Paris during the
Paris Marathon, airspace over Europe was closed travel ensurance didn't help,
and you were on your own. And there are worse
places to be than trapped in power Grris in the springtime.
I will grant you that. And it was ash blowing
into the cities, not around in missiles, but statistically right now,

(03:13):
although that could change it any minute, there would be
more chance of me being run over on the Shawanzalise
back then than killed by a missile in Dubai right now.
But that's statistics and that emotion doesn't come into it.
I get that when your loved ones are stranded overseas,

(03:34):
you want them home and you want them safe. But
is it on the taxpayer to provide that? I don't
think so. But am I being a heartless male? I've
been accused of that before, but I just you know,
I get the emotion. I totally do, because I've been there.

(03:55):
You want your loved ones home, you want to get home.
But I never assumed that my first port of call
would be the government.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
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the podcast on iHeartRadio.