Australians…are we still Young and Free?

Ok, bear with me for a minute because the next paragraph is going to be “legalese” but it’s extremely important.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948, art. 13, comma 2) AND International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (art. 12, comma 2):  

“Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own and to return to his country”.

This principle which has always been taken for granted became necessary after  WWII (I’m sure you all know why) and it was redacted in the hope and conviction that any country that denied its citizens (and indeed even its residents) the right to leave or return, is violating one of our Human Rights.

Of course some countries pay no attention to the declaration, those are the countries that are already crushing so many other human rights than one more doesn’t really make any difference.

Think North Korea for example, or South Sudan, Syria, Australia…

Wait… what??? Did I just say Australia????

On the 17th of March 2020 the Australian Government has implemented a total travel ban both outbound and inbound on all its residents.

The ban was originally meant to be lifted on the 17th of September but there are talks to prolong it well into 2021.

Make no mistake, while other countries still have an inbound travel ban (although the majority of them are slowly planning to lift it), Australia is the only democracy in the world with an outbound travel ban.

I’m just going to make this more clear:

Australia = only democracy in the WORLD that doesn’t allow its residents to exit the country.

And before you all start looking for exceptions because it sounds so shocking that you can’t believe it, let me save you the time.

It is as true and as horrifying as it sounds.

Last month, more citizens left North Korea than Australia… I’m just going to leave this one here.

For the rest of the world this might sound shocking but for us Australians is a massive betrayal of the values we believe in.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for safety and I have nothing against the forced hotel quarantine on those poor souls that were left stranded overseas and now want to come back home.

IF they come back home, because you might not know this (let’s face it, Australia is not exactly the first country you read about when checking the World News), but Aussies have seen their flights reservations been cancelled more and more often lately. One couple currently in London, UK, has seen their flights being postponed 10 times.

Why?

Because not only we can’t get out, but there’s also a cap on the numbers of those who want to come back in.

In Sydney that cap stands at 450 persons per day which represents a 90% reduction of the arrivals compare to last year.

So if you’re an Aussie stranded overseas and you hope to come back home in the next months, you better be ready to fork out $10,000 for a seat in First Class (airlines are not accepting economy class passengers anymore and from this week even Business Class is slowly being emptied) and $3,000 for the 14 days in hotel quarantine.

Do your research if you don’t believe me. It’s all true.

Federal MPs in Australia are flooded with pleas from residents who need to fly overseas to see a dying relative or to be re-united with their children, spouses, relatives and their requests for an exemption have been denied, sometimes even 10 times.

Very few of them know that once their requests are denied, their details are forwarded to the Borders Force so that they can get arrested, should they try to leave anyway.

Not that Iv’e heard of anyone trying to escape, I mean we are an island, what do we do? Hire a boat?

…. WE SHOULD TOTALLY HIRE A BOAT!!

Jokes aside, this is painful.

And it’s not only painful for people, it’s actually destroying our Tourism Industry.

You just need to look at Qantas to get the grim picture.

6000 initial jobs lost, now another 2500, the fleet grounded until at least July 2021, the A380s parked in a garage for 3 years.

Not to talk about Virgin that needs to be bailed out by private investments firms because they didn’t receive the same rescue package Qantas did.

This is not just a rant, it’s a request for your support, anyone who values their freedom should be deeply upset by this.

Don’t forget about us, don’t let our voice be met with silence.

Australia is supposed to be a democracy, our national anthem has a line that goes “For we are young and free”… Australians, we might still be young but we’re not free anymore.

If you believe in the sanctity of Human Rights, tell everyone what’s going on here, the world needs to know.

Stay safe and enjoy the world, those of you who can.

@sundialventures