Although Australia is viewed as one of the most successful nations at dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, its methods are nothing to envy. When it came to international border control it opted for callous and short-sighted political schemes over humane solutions. It’s symptomatic of an inward focused political culture and society that readily engages in othering for political expedience, and has failed to keep up with the times.
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Australia is among the most successful countries in the world at containing the spread of coronavirus.
However, Australia is the only country that has denied its citizens’ right to return to their home country for most of the pandemic, exploiting misinformation and the politics of division to keep citizens and permanent residents out.
Few readers of my post, Stranded Aussies sacrificed to pandemic politics of paranoia, will be surprised that in the weeks since I published, the crisis has worsened. The Scott Morrison government and the states are holding to their reduced flight caps without a glimmer of a realistic plan on the horizon. So it’s time to give them one. I’ve drafted a plan in the letter in the link below. UPDATE: Founders of the Stranded Aussies Action Network have launched their resources website strandedaussies.com providing tools for everyone affected by our governments’ inertia to unite, Get Informed, Get Loud and Get Heard.
Australia’s political leaders are actively making the situation worse, refusing to take meaningful action. It’s time they put politics aside and worked together to get real solutions happening. The website also has a Get Support page with links to groups and services.
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Esther Rockett 