The overseas travel ban issued by the Australian government has seriously impacted many Australians, in a variety of ways, including many of our members at People for Safe Vaccines who continue to suffer damage and loss of liberty, dignity and income.
In response to demand, and careful consideration of the determination and the laws, it was decided that we confront the inconsistencies by raising them with the Federal Minster for Health, seeking to have them review the Government's position and rectify the travel ban, including:-
repeal the Overseas Travel Ban Determination and the Outward Travel Restrictions Operation Directive;
introduce individual, proportionate and least restrictive exit requirements pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Biosecurity Act; and
ensure that biosecurity measures are applied in accordance with the BSC Act and do not restrict people’s rights to freely travel unless they genuinely pose a contagion risk.
It is our considered opinion that their blanket approach is lacking science, justification, proportionality and fails to take the least restrictive manner of imposition and in the process, civil liberties and general protections and rights of merits review ignored.
So, on the 16th April, a letter was sent to the federal Health Minister requesting the repeal of the overseas travel ban directives, on the grounds they are unlawful and not scientifically-based.
People should only be restricted from leaving the country where they are properly diagnosed to cause a genuine contagion risk, in accordance with established medical practice.
Please go to the chronology page to view a copy of the letter.
We have asked the minister to provide a satisfactory response by 23rd April 2021. Should we fail to receive one, we will be looking at filing Court proceedings.