I find it hard to believe that it took two cricketers to alert the Australian government that there was a loophole in its travel restrictions. IIRC, the same loophole existed last year when returning citizens circumvented travel bans from COVID-19 hotspots.

People tend to "Lie" when asked questions about any activity that has the potential to stop them doing what they want to do - It is selfish and almost impossible to prevent - so the only options are penalties severe enough to prevent recalcitrant activities.

With regard to "being shot" for breaching quarantine; Who amongst us would not shoot perpetrators of crime to save our wife, children, grandchildren. When the deliberate action/s of any person threatens the life of public at large, drastic action, even lethal force, can be justified. That is why armed guards man watch towers on prisons, Police and other law enforcement personnel are armed.

There has not been a declaration of Martial Law concerning illegal migration, merely the option of a penalty, albeit a severe penalty, for any recalcitrant that places the safety of an entire Country at risk (even Cricketers).

I was listening to a medico on the radio the other day who said that the reason hotel quarantine was 99.9 per cent effective was that 99.9per cent of the people undergoing quarantine were tested negative. He went on to say that when a positive case is quarantined in hotel accommodation it then spreads as the hotels are not proper quarantine facilities. We haven't seemed to learn much in the past 12 months.

-- Edited by DMaxer on Tuesday 4th of May 2021 10:17:46 AM

I think that figure of 99.9%is is either wrong or exaggerated.
Here in Adelaide it is, and has been, a regular thing with announcements almost every second day about overseas traveller"s", in quarantine Motels, testing positive. And thats just little old Adelaide, I bet the other states are experiencing the same thing and probably more!
I am sure there are other"medico's" who may think differently, also, he is after all only 1 person giving an opinion!
But having said this I also agree that Motel quarantining is a joke.
Time this federal government did some about it
Ian

Keep in mind it's until the 15 of May. To let the system get ready. Many folks who wanted hard borders are now on the "Let's bash the government" band wagon. You can't have it both ways. And may I add that there's a touch of self interest with cricketers.

Very rich for Mr Batsman to have a whinge while walking on a beautiful Maldives beach. He abandoned his mates to get that far, but must have known the risks when he left the country, " despite Govt Permission".

The majority of stranded overseas "Australians" have dual citizenship.They are over there on that countries passport.

When there is problem like now ,they scream they are Australians and want to get out quick smart.

But  "born and bred" Australians,who wants to take out citizenship of another country cannot.

Under section 17 of the Citizenship Act requires people with only Australian citizenship to relinquish this if they take out the citizenship of another country.

if they had not made the decision to leave australia, there would b no problem. People might think twice now before leaving. good decision has been made.

If we hadn't kicked people out, they wouldn't need to come back.

Some other countries had the ability to look at the long term & managed to support people not fortunate enough to have a permanent full time job.

There have been a few weddings & funerals etc. It is not difficult to manage this.

who did we kick out?
did we not have restrictions on the number of people who could attend weddings , funerals to minimize the risks?
people could not travel interstate to visit sick/dying family /friends without doing their time in quarantine

I find it fascinating that all the replies to this thread have focused upon the issues of quarantine; not one person has addressed the matter of our government effectively and arbitrarily  revoking the citizenship of a large group of people.

If the French government tried this they'd have a rebellion on their hands but Australians, it seems, don't care what Draconian measures their government takes...?

To give my opinion, on this part of the question

whilst the health argument is a good one does it trump *everything* else?

Yes I do believe that health does trump everything else

Because of Covid-19, we are not living in normal times

We can all see that some leaders placed economy before health

America leader of the day, said that Covid-19 was a hoax
Brazilian leader said that the economic disaster, (shut downs), would be greater than the health disaster
Indian leader, allowed mass gatherings for religious, and political reasons

Our Australian leader has stopped flights from India, as he knows, that out quarantine hotel set up, is not good enough
I say, good on our Australian leader, as he has put my health, before my economic wellbeing 

 

I think they are being a bit cunning with this one Mike. The Government states they are not refusing, just pausing, the return. This can be achieved by limiting the arrivals of planes and ships so that the actual citizen is not refused re entry, his mode of transport is. In addition, the States put numbers on arrivals and this indirectly affects the re entry as well.

Perhaps if they could show they were actors or others with a quid then things would be different for them.

Yes Mike I understand where you are coming from. I've always argued for any Australians to be allowed to return home. But this not a ban just a 14 day pause to get the house in order before any possible issues. If it was a permanent ban I to would be up in arms. We all know how some state premiers have miss handled their quarrantine.