Recently Australia’s National Cabinet chose to ban inbound flights from India, preventing thousands of Australians from returning to the only home they have as the subcontinent’s hospital system collapses under the strain of rising coronavirus cases. Many have been stranded since the Australian government introduced its travel ban at the outset of the pandemic. Others were granted official exemptions to exit the country for essential travel.
Not only has National Cabinet failed to develop a repatriation plan to ensure Australians could get back, but they took the unprecedented step of criminalising their return.
Esther Rockett 