Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday defended his decision to ban and impose a jail sentence and a sentence on Australians trying to return from India, saying it was in the country’s ‘best interests’ and to to prevent third wave of infections.
The Australian government recently, for the first time in history, banned its citizens from returning if they spent up to 14 days in India before flying back.
The government has threatened to prosecute them with the possibility of a five-year prison sentence or a fine of 66,000 Australian dollars (USD 50,899).
Morrison said it was a temporary arrangement and a very difficult decision.
“It is set up to ensure that we do not get a third wave here in Australia and that our quarantine system can remain strong,” he said, adding that it was in the country’s best interests’.
He said he felt terrible for the Indian community.
‘We have seen a sevenfold increase in the infection rate of those in our Howard Springs institution returning from India.
“It is important that we make sure that we stop here temporarily to strengthen the arrangements in the quarantine facilities, and to get stronger test arrangements, as well as leaving India, but also for people who come from third countries,” Morrison said.
He said he wanted to run the repatriation flights safely again.
‘These are the things we need to do to make sure I can do it so I can. We have already brought home about 20,000 people from India using assisted flights and facilitated flights, and it was only those who were registered. “So it was a big effort to get people home,” the prime minister told the 2GB radio channel.
“We have been applying the Biosecurity Act for more than a year now and no one has been jailed … no irresponsible use has been made of these powers,” he said.
Morrison said there was a clear advice from the chief medical officer that it was a decision that should be supported and that should be taken.
The prime minister has been criticized by opposition leader Anthony Albanese for abandoning Australians in India and threatening travelers with punishment and jail time.
“Australia has obligations to our citizens, to people who are Australians – not just to abandon them overseas, but then it is an extraordinary act to threaten them,” Albanian quoted the media as saying on Sunday.
Deputy Citizens’ Leader Matt Canavan tweeted on Monday about the government’s decision: “We must help Aussies return to India but not give them jail time.” Morrison said the ban is being reviewed on an ongoing basis and that it should only be there as long as it is necessary to keep Australians safe. “Meanwhile, Professor Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said the expert health advisory group, the Australian Health Protection Committee, had told the government the risk coming from India had reached a” measure of concern “.
On Monday, the daily COVID-19 cases in India showed a slight decrease with 3,68,147 new coronavirus according to the Ministry of Health, the total number of cases is taken to 1,99,25,604.
The death toll increased to 218959 with 3.417 daily new deaths.
While the country recorded 4,01,993 new cases on May 1, it registered 3,92,488 new cases on May 2.
Source: Telangana Today