When Demian McLean became a dual citizen of Australia, he never thought he would be banned from returning to the United States.
Key points:
- More than 7 million people living in Australia were born overseas
- Many dual citizens and permanent residents have no idea when they will be reunited with loved ones in other countries
- Some human rights advocates say there needs to be a more compasionate approach to border closures
The closure of the international border due to the COVID-19 pandemic means leaving or entering Australia is prohibited unless strict exemption criteria are met.
Demian has called Melbourne home for the past decade but his father, Michael McLean, is back home in Virginia.
The 76-year-old has been diagnosed with blood cancer, and Demian says it's not clear how much time he has left.
"I can see on the video calls … his condition is deteriorating," he told 7.30.
"He looks weaker and more frail. I fear that he may pass before I get a chance to see him."
Demian has had three requests for an exemption to leave Australia refused.
He provided a letter from his father's oncologist which stated it was "imperative that his son be allowed to leave Australia to visit his father at this critical time".
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)Demian also said he would leave Australia for three months.
"Each step really is a bit of a blow emotionally [and] psychologically for me and also for my father," he said.
Border Force told 7.30 it considered every case on its merits but did not comment on individual cases.
ABC News
)"I understand the concerns that we have about keeping the environment here safe. But I think that also needs to be weighed against the very real prospect of doing some emotional harm," Demian told 7.30.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in May the threat posed by highly infectious COVID-19 strains overseas meant it was too early to reopen Australia's international border.
"I understand that everyone is keen to get back to a time that we once knew," Mr Morrison said.
"The reality is we're living this year in a pandemic that's worse than last year."
Advocates call for 'more flexible' approach
As more people are vaccinated, some human rights advocates argue a rethink on the blanket-ban approach to borders is warranted.
"I think we need to inject a little bit more compassion into our approach … looking at a risk-based approach to our border closures," Hugh de Kretser, executive director of the Human Rights Law Centre, said.
"We've seen an approach that was punitive in some cases, where the government is threatening people with jail and fines.
"We need to look at the risks and we need to graduate our response accordingly."
The government has capped the number of people allowed to arrive in Australia so the hotel quarantine system is not overwhelmed.
Greg Dore, an infectious diseases expert at the UNSW Kirby Institute, told 7.30 home quarantine should be considered for people who were vaccinated to allow families to reunite.
"We do home quarantine all the time for community outbreaks," he said.
He said some logistical barriers would need to be overcome, including ensuring testing during the quarantine period and verifying vaccination status.
"A sensible, phased approach to ... reconnecting with the outside world in a way that we will have to over the coming months [is required]," he said.
'No end in sight'
Gemma Boucher lives in Brisbane with her Australian husband and two children.
Like many others who grew up in Britain, she's desperate to see her family overseas again.
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)She told 7.30 that despite regular FaceTime calls, not knowing when they would be reunited was increasingly difficult.
"My mum is just my best friend in the whole world, we've always been very close," Gemma said.
"So the fact that we haven't been able to see her for a year and a half, with no end in sight, is just completely devastating."
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)Gemma's mother, Jill Dudley, is fully vaccinated but can't travel to Australia because parents aren't considered "immediate family" under the exemption criteria.
"I fully supported Australia closing [the borders] at the start of the pandemic and I think it's great that everyone has been kept safe," she said.
"But I think some sort of plan and roadmap would really help people like me feel at ease.
A government spokesperson told 7.30 the federal government's top priorities "continue to be saving lives and protecting livelihoods".
"As has been the case the whole way through this pandemic, the best possible expert medical advice will continue to guide our decision making, including on border and quarantine arrangements," the spokesperson said.
Welcome news
Back in Melbourne, Demian received some welcome news on Wednesday afternoon.
After receiving questions from 7.30, Border Force granted him a travel exemption to visit his father.
"It's fantastic news," he said.
"I was actually pinching myself. At the same time it was a little bittersweet because I'm aware there are many other people in the same situation wanting to visit loved ones overseas.
"I would just hope the government would extend similar compassion to them."
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2021-06-23 09:46:44Z
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