Travel ban = ‘racist’ rights breach?

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, announced the three extra state flights on 7th May after a national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders. He also declared the controversial policy banning Australians stranded in India from returning home would remain in place until 15 May as scheduled.

Australia’s former Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane pointed out the “inconsistency” in the government’s policy, noting bans and criminal penalties weren’t imposed on Australians returning from other nations at the height of their Covid waves.

So, is the move of the travel ban a sign of racism?

Some commentators have said the government is trying to deflect attention from the failures of its own quarantine system by introducing such a punitive measure on health grounds.

The move by the Morrison government preventing citizens returning to Australia from India is not a sign of racism. The travel ban is based on best medical advice to deal with the pandemic.

We have needed a Commonwealth-run quarantine system, as provided for by the constitution, for more than a year. The health of Australians at home and our economy has been hammered by the outbreaks from not-fit-for-purpose hotel quarantine. The Jane Halton report last year called on the federal government to take responsibility for quarantine.

But why are those flying from India being singled out?

Such drastic steps were not in place when the US, the UK and Europe were going through similarly deadly and infectious COVID outbreaks in the past year.

One possible explanation is the Indian community in Australia is simply an easy target, especially when India is in an unprecedented crisis. Indian officials and media are likely to be preoccupied with more pressing domestic matters.

And despite the Indian-Australian community growing in size in Australia and being increasingly represented in the media and politics, it appears those of Indian origin are still largely perceived as an “other” or a “model minority”.

Large numbers but small power

Despite their increasing numbers and growing political voice, it appears those of Indian origin still do not matter enough in the mainstream Australian public sphere.

This is most apparent in the travel ban. Not only are Australian citizens prohibited from entering their own country, they also risk fines of up to $66,000 or five years’ jail time if they attempt to do so. This has left stranded 9,000 Australians who have signalled an interest in returning home, including 650 classified as “vulnerable”. Critics have decried the punitive nature of the travel ban as racist.

Why do Indian-Australians feel singled out now?

The current crisis over Australian residents being stranded in India has not elicited a similar reaction from the government.

Even though the nation’s chief medical officer has warned Australians could die during the travel ban — and doctors, human rights groups and the Indian-Australian community have forcefully criticised the move — Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stood firm.

While there is more work to be done by the Indian diaspora in Australia to be politically proactive, it does not absolve elected leaders of the responsibility they owe to all Australian citizens to protect them. Migrants report increased feelings of belonging and civic engagement when they feel cared for.