Has your application for exemption to leave Australia been rejected? If this is any consolation, know that almost 70,000 of your fellow citizens and permanent residents have been in the same place over the last four months.
According to the figures received by the Sydney Morning Herald, since the overseas travel ban came into effect on 25 March and until the end of July, the Australian Border Force has given the green light to 22,640 out of 91,950 applicants who fall in the citizen or resident cohort.
While the publication notes that applications submitted could cover more than one individual, with more than one request potentially submitted by the same applicant, this translates roughly to a three out of four ratio in requests refused.
‘A PRISON STATE’
The report brings together concerns voiced by Sydneysiders MPs across the political spectrum, including Liberal member for Wentworth and former ambassador, Dave Sharma who claims the long-term effect of the measure places a “pretty extraordinary restriction on people’s liberty”.
“There’s no other country of which I’m aware that is imposing an exit permit system, like we’ve got in Australia,” Mr Sharma said.
ALSO READ: Australian government splits hairs with dual citizens requesting travel exemptions
And he’s not the only political representative to hold such a strong opinion.
Independent MP Zali Steggall also believes the measure is “a little extreme” going a tad further to draw a parallel with restrictions encountered in authoritarian regimes:
“It puts us on par with North Korea, in terms of, are we now a prison state, that unless you can justify yourself to the department, you cannot leave the country?”, she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Escalating the level-three travel advice at the time to the next stage, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the ban in late March putting a halt to all non-essential travel in a bid to minimise new imported COVID-19 cases.”
“This will help avoid travellers returning to Australia with coronavirus and the risks of spreading coronavirus to other countries,” the official statement at the time reads.
But Mr Sharma and Ms Stegall are among MPs reporting numerous of their constituents reach out in need to travel overseas for urgent reasons including the death of a parent or taking up a job offer.
3,5 MONTHS’ WAIT FOR PERMISSION TO SEE DYING FATHER
Christina Karvelas’ case is a relevant example.
Permission to travel to Greece was given just in time to see her dying father, though she recounts submitting the application for exemption 3,5 months before finally getting the green light.
“I had to apply four times submitting hospital documents, provide proof relating to our family situation, and book a flight before receiving any reply, negative or positive,” she wrote in a statement to Neos Kosmos.
“So I booked a flight for 20 July. This was the worst day of my life, knowing that my flight with Qatar airways was due at 10.15 am and I was waiting for a response till the last minute, with my suitcases packed ready to leave. I had to cancel the flight and waiting for the green light before rebooking.
Ms Karvelas feels it was ‘absolutely unacceptable’ to be put in this process without knowing the outcome.
“I finally managed to leave on 24 July!” she exclaims.
Ms Karvelas made it right on time, with her father passing just two weeks later on Friday 7 August.
RESTRICTIONS NOT EXPECTED TO EASE ANYTIME SOON
According to Mr Sharma, it is time for a shift from preventing people leaving the country to “controlling their return to Australia and foreign arrivals into Australia”.
ALSO READ: When will Australia open its borders?
The medical advice however appears to remain unchanged, as per comments attributed to a Federal Health Department spokesperson:
“We cannot risk adding an additional burden to the health system through a broad easing of international travel restrictions and potentially importing additional cases.”
In one of his most recent statements on the issue, PM Mr Morrisson dashed any hopes for lifting restrictions by Christmas, saying the international travel ban will continue for an indefinite period.
“We look forward to at some point that that might be able to be altered but at this point we are not going to put any further strain on the quarantine arrangements around the country and that will remain in place now for some months,” Mr Morrison told reporters.
“Right now the opportunity for large-scale travel beyond our borders is not foreseeable.