Australia won't allow in international tourists until 2022

If Australia can open the borders to vaccinated skilled workers and foreign students it can open the border to vaccinated tourists. April might be a more sensible timeline for it all to open however Scott Morrison is pretty much the Prime Minister for New South Wales rather than Australia. He's managed to make himself irrelevant to most of the country throughout the past few years.

He favours Liberal state governments, like every Labor federal government has favoured Labor state governments. Thats the way it is in Australia. Its been that way since ive been on this rock.

Get rid of the states, you no longer have the problem. The way state leaders have treated Australian Citizens from other parties of the country than their own throughout the pandemic is nothing short of absolutely shameful. Keeping kids from saying their parents dying of cancer due to some insane covid restriction. Some of the stories that have been reported are absolutely unreal. Its like East and West Germany.

The states have been the most divisive force in the last 2 years by FARR and the federal government needs to put them very, VERY firmly in their place.

Meanwhile in the US, 1,600,000 illegal immigrants SO FAR this year, the largest amount in American history and an amount larger than the population who presently live in 10 US STATES!, continue to stream across the southern border unchecked. The numbers are simply STAGGERING: August 2020: only 10! economic migrants were immediately released into the US, out of more than 40,000. August 2021?: 43,941 illegals were immediately released into the US! That's an increase in entry of, what, 430,000%?! (Slow Clap as the Media Looks The Other Way...)

Yeah there's a well known name for it, but you're not allowed to say it.

It starts with Great, but it aint Make America Great again.

No surprise people believe it to be true. Logically, you would have to assume its either that or an invasion because no rational country would willingly allow literally millions of people to cross their borders and migrate with absolutely no idea who these people are, there history, their health status or virtually anything really.

Its a momentul failure of government though and hard to excuse when America has not just a massive military, but national guard and all manner of law enforcement to stop it.

They clearly dont want to stop, which brings me back to option 1.

Nothing wrong with controlled immigration. Vital in many cases, but this isnt remotely controlled.

And furthermore, Steve, mate, let's understand, shall we, that the kind of low-paid work you describe has for decades been undertaken by students, migrants, other recent arrivals, etcetera, precisely because those born within the country won't put up with the crap working hours and the even more crap pay routinely offered for such work. 

Thereby suppressing wages for those jobs and the economy as a whole which then becomes distorted and reliant on mass migration.

What should happen instead is that better pay and conditions are offered to undertake those jobs. Apparently it's better to exploit foreigners from poorer countries.

Don't think it'll be 80% with a second shot by Tuesday. Maybe 70%?

Steve in Japan

spot on!!

I share your same sentiments!

@BigYen: Statistics show that the median full-time earnings of ‘skilled’ migrants is lower than the general population, and unemployment is higher (Continuous Survey of Australia’s Migrants), so they can't be all that skilled.

“Skilled migrants” mainly means migrants with skills in areas of expertise for jobs that can’t be filled by the workforce already in the country. 

Bwhahaha... mate, let's not pretend that the majority aren't working menial jobs as delivery drivers or kitchenhands while they try to save up enough money to bring their remaining family members over to leech off the Australian tax payer.

Looks like there will be no Barmy Army down under for this year’s Ashes

Yes: They have the Ashes and have stated that no English Players can bring their family members. Which will be hard because it is usually a 3 months stint, starting in November. Tennis will be touch and go seeing Victoria had 1700 odd case of COVID 19 today and heading upwards. Aussies wanting to exit for Xmas can, if full vac, have a return ticket and spent 7 days home isolation on return. These are certaines. Not if no buts.

If these were serious endeavors the requirements wouldnt be to simply " be vaccinated", as vaccinated people can still get and transmit COVID.. It would be to be free of COVID, proven by a reliable and recent test. Followed by a 14 day quarantine to ensure it.

But "everyone is vaccinated" seems to make people feel good somehow. While having no impact at all on the current virus status of any of them.

No interest in the Land of the Lord of the Flies.

SteveinJapanToday  04:39 pm JST

@SteveinJapan a ‘joke of a country’? That’s a bit rude don’t you think?

As a citizen, but thankfully no longer a resident, I'm entitled to my opinion of the country. Hopefully you don't have any family members or friends living outside of WA, as you won't be seeing them for a long time.

Agree, and in the same boat. I don't count on being able to see my aging parents any time soon, but I hope to see them while they're still around. But I'm not optimistic. Australia has been sold out by its politicians and senior health bureaucrats. I wonder what their price was...

@SteveinJapan a ‘joke of a country’? That’s a bit rude don’t you think?

As a citizen, but thankfully no longer a resident, I'm entitled to my opinion of the country. Hopefully you don't have any family members or friends living outside of WA, as you won't be seeing them for a long time.

@SteveinJapan a ‘joke of a country’? That’s a bit rude don’t you think? Terrible place to live? I live in W.A., probably the best place in the world!

I don’t like the fact that universities need international students to stay in business, it hasn’t always been that way however If we can hurry up and get most population vaccinated then things will go back to normal.

You can bet that the sport elites esp. tennis and cricket, and the IOC (for Brisbane) will be granted special exemptions, along with the new Hollywood elite hanging around Byron Bay.

I don’t see what the problem is trying to control your borders?

Didn't want to visit anyway.

Deadly bugs, floods, fires ... there's always a plague there.

Hello New-Zealand !

No surprise to see "skilled" migrants and international "students" being prioritized once again. Complete joke of a country and a terrible place to live.

Skilled workers? Master degree holders or very tanned with great language skills?

Thanks, anti-vaxxers

Well, the vaccine is not good for everyone and what about the people already had the virus? No point in getting the shot for most people at that point.

Holidays abroad are a luxury, not a necessity. So I can understand countries giving priorities to other more important categories. However, this can't go on for much longer.

Its ok, I don't wanna go.

Keep shifting the goalposts, Scomo.

2 weeks to flatten the curve...

And nearly 2 years later, Australia won't allow international tourists until 2022.

What about Australians who want to leave the country? It was easier escaping through the Berlin Wall.

Good on Australia

Yeah, I agree. I don't like that I can't visit a country when I want to, but I understand a country's need to take care of its own before worrying about the rest of the world. As long as the Eternal Lockdown of Vaxxed and Unvaxxed Alike "strategy" is finally debunked as ineffective, and eliminated from politician's "toolkits" worldwide.

Meanwhile in the US, 1,600,000 illegal immigrants SO FAR this year, the largest amount in American history and an amount larger than the population who presently live in 10 US STATES!, continue to stream across the southern border unchecked. The numbers are simply STAGGERING: August 2020: only 10! economic migrants were immediately released into the US, out of more than 40,000. August 2021?: 43,941 illegals were immediately released into the US! That's an increase in entry of, what, 430,000%?! (Slow Clap as the Media Looks The Other Way...)

The vast amount of these illegal immigrants do NOT get COVID testing, will almost certainly apply for local, state and federal government handouts, and will never again re-appear for immigration-related court dates or other matters. The previous admin's successful "Remain In Mexico" policy is being cancelled, AGAIN, by Biden, while Biden's Creepy Veep vacations in Palm Springs on our dime (she's "in charge" of the borders, but has visited the affected regions but ONCE? Too busy agreeing with college kids' "truths" that Israel is "committing genocide", apparently! You know...doing "important stuff".)

How I WISH we had someone in power who actually gave a hoot about the well-being of the CITIZENS FIRST, especially with COVID still spreading? But no...one doesn't "beat COVID" by increasing the mass indiscriminate flow of unvaxxed, undocumented and completely penniless migrants into your country, now, does one? (Slow Clap as the Media Looks The Other Way...)

Attila' China apparently is going through the process of cutting down on student visas ( one imagines they don't want to keep sending their kids to the free world, for obvious reasons ) so Australia is weening itself of the yuan and redirecting its economy by choice. Also with the support of the population. We just woke up first.

China far from our only market for international students though, so it makes sense to re-open for those friendly countries that want to come and take advantage of our great education services and lifestyle. As for how our government is handling its response to the pandemic, by and large, most Australians are well informed and understanding. There is a roadmap forward, one that is explained well and makes sense. Don"t mistake us for mugs mate!

Priority for "international students" means Chinese students. Oz is addicted to the Yuan.

Not to mention, who would want to go, given the draconian and authoritarian measures the government has been taking. The media in the rest of the developed world has been scrupulously ignoring the hideous behavior of Official Australia towards its own citizens.

Priority for skilled migrants…that made my day. I guess, the tourists then can’t see any sightseeing spots anymore because everything spills over from all those many skills. lol

Australia has a plan, and they share those plans with everyone. The transparency method. At least you know where you stand.