Sydney: Australians living abroad could be banned from leaving if they return following the country’s decision to tighten border rules without notice as part of its Covid strategy. The new restriction brings Australians living overseas into line with the policy. The new rule comes into force from August 11 but critics are warning the change could deter citizens from returning home and punish families.
However, the government says it will reduce the risk of Covid cases from entering the country, which already has a weekly limit on incoming travellers. It also bans foreigners from entering the country unless they have an exemption. The number of permitted arrivals were halved last month due to outbreaks of the Delta variant.
The closed-border policy has been mostly supported by people living in Australia, according to reports, but it has its critics who say it is punishing families. There have reportedly been cases in the past year of Australians unable to leave to care for sick or dying friends or family members, or retrieve children from relatives.
Some legal experts have raised doubts over the new restriction, claiming constitutional rights are being breached by preventing citizens from being able to return. The Australian government says it will not re-open its borders until four in five of its population has received the vaccine - the figure currently stands at just 19 per cent.
The outbreak of the Delta variant has seen more than half of Australia's 26 million population in lockdown. Sydney has recorded over 4,300 cases alone.
