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A BENDIGO resident says it is a "disgrace" that Australians are still trapped in Peru with no indication of when they will return home.
Rob Fisher has been forced to leave his Bendigo mates in capital city Lima because they were not able to raise the $5160 for flights in time to book a seat.
"With our already booked commercial flights being cancelled at an alarming rate it quickly became apparent that our only option to get back home was to seek government assistance or pay the huge fare that Chimu Adventures were asking," he said.
That help never came, Mr Fisher said.
"We have seen country after country organise repatriation flights daily throughout our 14 day quarantine period in Lima. Some at no cost to their constituents," he said.
"By the time we realised that our government had no intention to repatriate the hundreds of stranded Australians in South America, the private charter ... was already fully booked."
Mr Fisher felt calls for help from stranded Australians and from the federal opposition had fallen on deaf ears.
"Time and again our prime minister has stated that our repatriation wasn't a high priority in the current climate. In fact it appears as he feels we were all foolish for being abroad in the first place," he said.
"Regardless of what he thinks, it is pretty un-Australian to just turn your back on thousands of Australian citizens stranded across the globe."
Many of those in South America had return flights booked and were caught off guard by the rapid border closures throughout the region, Mr Fisher said.
He said the government had ridden the coat tails of Chimu Adventures, which had spent weeks organising the flight out of Peru for Chile.
The federal government said last Thursday that it was "working constructively" with Chimu Adventures to provide assurances including indemnity and the underwriting of unforeseen costs, "without which the flights would not be able to proceed".
It also said it had helped make sure arrangements were in place.
However, Mr Fisher said that statement created confusion among travellers and their family members in Australia, some of whom thought it meant the government was organising the flights.
Mr Fisher wanted an assurance from the government that stranded Australians across the world would be given a chance to return home in the immediate future.
"At the end of the day we have Bendigo residents who need to be with their families," he said.
The government is considering help for Australians trapped overseas on a case-by-case basis and is supporting commercial airlines to operate non-scheduled services to less central locations for Australians.
Mr Fisher has arrived in Santiago, Chile, from Lima and is soon to board his next flight towards home.
Earlier
ONE Bendigonian stranded in Peru has caught a chartered flight out of the locked down country but three of his travel companions are still waiting.
One member of the group has boarded a chartered flight out of capital city Lima and is currently in the air for the first leg of the journey back to Australia.
The four central Victorian tourists were caught on the hop by rapid travel bans while on a cricketing tour of South America earlier this month.
A flight chartered by Chimu Adventures is understood to be carrying 260 Australian nationals and permanent residents.
Other flights for Australians in both Peru and Uruguay are planned or being negotiated, but the government has stressed there are particular challenges with transport out of the region.
Stephen Stingel is among those still stranded in Lima.
"At this point in time we have no confirmation of whether there are additional flights, although our ambassador to Chile noted that the government was in discussions with Qantas," he said.
"The situation here for me is still stable, and we're able to go to the supermarket for supplies. Prices are increasing, as you'd expect, however the shelves remain well stocked.
"It's just a waiting game now. Provided this first flight is successful, there will hopefully be more."
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