It seems like the most recent piece of overreach is generating a little bit of press. I for one am glad to see some interest being taken in this appalling decision.
Recent changes to regulations on expats who live overseas have left many fearing they won’t be able to leave Australia if they come back
www.theguardian.com
Government expands border ban in a move experts say could be constitutionally invalid and unfairly affect Australians from multicultural backgrounds
www.theguardian.com
The move serves as a deterrent for Australians who live abroad but may need to return home for distress travel as it could prohibit them from being able to return to their life overseas.
www.smh.com.au
www.9news.com.au
From the 9 News report
"Many Australians living overseas who have no desire to return home permanently have now gone years without seeing their family and friends in Australia after having flights cancelled in the early stages of the pandemic.
While many countries have imposed strict entry restrictions during the pandemic, Australia is the only one to ban its citizens from leaving."
The move serves as a deterrent for Australians who live abroad but may need to return home for distress travel as it could prohibit them from being able to return to their life overseas.
www.smh.com.au
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has promised Australians who live abroad that they will still be able to leave the country if they apply for an exemption.
www.smh.com.au
“It’s not really a loophole, it is the normal rights of a person to travel back and forward to their country of citizenship,” she [citizenship law expert Dr Kim Rubenstein] said. They have made it even more draconian than it was at the beginning. No matter where you are from in the world, if you land here, you could be trapped."
An automatic exemption allowing Australians who normally live overseas to depart the country has been removed.
www.afr.com
“In terms of the message this sends, it just continues the theme that has been occurring for over a year. If you choose to leave Australia to pursue a career, study or love, you essentially leave your ‘Australianness’ at the border. The only thing they have left to do is cancel our passports.” Australian living in Kuala Lumpur
It's reached the BBC:
Australians who live overseas will require exemptions to leave Australia if they return home.
www.bbc.com
We have concerns that the change was made with little to no warning.
www.theage.com.au
This one calls out the double standard applied to celebrities and notes "Karen Andrews [Home Affairs Minister] would no doubt argue that, technically, many travellers – particularly those who don’t intend to return in the near future – will still be able to get permission to depart.
Be that as it may, these travellers now find themselves in the hands of bureaucrats – “decision makers” – who can arbitrarily decide whether the reason given is “compelling” enough and whether the documentary evidence supplied with it is sufficient." and we all know how consistent and sensible that process will turn out to be, don't we.
. DIL from the UK made the pact when she married in OZ that whatever happened they had to ensure they had the money for her to return to the UK to see her parents once a year. That worked well....for a year of their marriage.
