India: a communication on the travel ban criticized by the deputy Cowper of the Nationals

MP Pat Conaghan’s seat in Cowper has a large population of Australians of Indian descent, so when travel bans for India were announced last week, he paid close attention.

He said he didn’t like what he heard.

“I was concerned with the way we addressed this community, saying, ‘Look, if you come to Australia you risk jail time,’ he said.

Last week, the federal government temporarily banned flights from India over concerns over the number of COVID-19 cases in quarantine in hotels.

On Friday, he announced criminal penalties, including jail time and heavy fines for anyone breaking the ban, including Australian citizens.

Mr Conaghan said he supported the ban, but the delivery of the message was mismanaged.

“We should have said ‘look, we are doing this for the benefit of all of Australia, this is only for two weeks, we will work with you to get you back as soon as possible once the situation is under control.”

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“Most people quite understand”

Cowper takes the state seat of Coffs Harbor, owned by Gurmesh Singh, whose election victory in 2019 made headlines in India.

Mr Singh said he supports the government’s travel ban, but it has taken a toll on his community – particularly in Woolgoolga, which is home to one of Australia’s largest Punjabi communities.

He said he was hearing reports of people stranded after not taking a plane home and those returning for the funerals of people who died in the pandemic.

He said husbands and wives had separated and some marriages had to be suspended because the couples were in different countries.

“Certainly everyone I have spoken to is obviously very happy that our system here in Australia has worked so far and that we have been protected.”

Travel bans have left around 9,000 Australians stranded in India.

They should be lifted on May 15.