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INTRODUCTION
The rapid and unexpected COVID-19 outbreak undeniably projected a lot of stress, hardship, and uncertainty onto so many people around the world. In the efforts to contain the virus we in Australia have faced countless tests, unfortunate job dismissals, and firm restrictions. With no definitive timeline that promises the operation of a fully functioning yet safe society, we must recognise that some of the restrictions we are still implementing puts so much strain the lives of many people - internationally. One restriction in particular; the international border closures.

THE ISSUE
COVID-19 and the closure of the Australian borders has and will continue to have lasting effects on our people's spirit, mental health, and relationships with their family overseas. Countless individuals, couples, and families are having to put their lives on hold. We are missing out on; being with our loved ones and family members, missing out on; job opportunities, funerals, weddings, births and even the chance to say goodbye to those who have passed during this time. What - in the beginning - was a scheme to keep Australians safe and out of harms way, turned into an obstacle that is heavily exhausting our mental health.

DISCLAIMER
We have to acknowledge that due to these early and strict border closures, Australia was able to contain COVID-19 and drastically reduce the number of active cases within the country. Australia's PM Scott Morrison continues to emphasise the suppression of the virus, which we have now successfully achieved across the entire country. 

WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR
The government states that individuals may be able to travel overseas for compassionate and compelling reasons - though the people that fall into these categories aren't clear, and the number of applications that are actually approved is small. We are asking the Australian government to be more flexible with the conditions in being granted a travel exemption, and to lift the ban for binational couples and families who have been kept from their loved ones for the last year.

Along with families separated by oceans, many Australians are in committed, long-distance relationships, and feel like they are not being adequately and fairly recognised. It seems that long distance relationships have very little support from the government (even less during this pandemic), making it so much harder for couples to finally 'close the distance'. Being denied the right to travel and see our loved ones because our circumstances or relationships 'don't meet the government's requirements' is cruel and reflects the lack of concern for binational relationships.

General tourism is not at the forefront of our requests for exemption revisions. Our absolute priority for overseas travel is for reunification of families and to spend time with our loved ones. We want to make up for the hours of lost time, missed occasions, and memories we could have created. We are calling for more compassion on this matter, as the devastating implications of indefinite separation become too strong for many Australian's to bare.

MY PERSONAL STORY
I've lived in Sydney my whole life, and in 2014 I met a boy from America via Instagram. We started dating, and after 2 years of skype sessions, movie dates, and facetiming, I flew to see him. He and I share a strong and committed relationship, where we have flown back and fourth multiple times to see each other. In 2019 I flew back to America, not knowing that this would be the last time (for the foreseeable future) that I would see him.

Fast forward to 2021, I've been separated from him for 2 years with no resolution or end in sight. We had plans to visit each other twice last year, but couldn't due to Australia's border closures. Acknowledging that so many people around the world have similar or even more heartbreaking circumstances to mine, I am nonetheless another individual within the many thousands of Australians being forcibly kept from their loved one.

WHAT WE WILL PROVIDE
Understanding that the government wants to continue to suppress the virus by reducing international traffic to and from Australia, we have seen that safe travel measures have been taken and implemented for those travelling on compassionate and comparing grounds, and ask that these measures are extended for us in long distance relationships. To achieve this, we will gladly:

• Provide proof of our relationship
• Get tested less than 72 hours before we travel overseas
• Receive the Covid-19 Vaccination (once accessible)
• Self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival back into Australia (if necessary)
• Self-fund this 14 day isolation (if necessary)

The ease of restrictions for people in similar situations will ultimately:

• Allow Australian residents to be reunited with their family and loved ones
• Give Australians the ability to attend life events (such as weddings, births, funerals, etc)
• Provide security in relationships and ease the strain on many Australians' mental health

Additionally, this would relieve some of the toll on our struggling tourism and aviation industries, and allow profits to generate earlier, before international travel is open to the country as a whole.

The hardest part about being away from our loved ones is waiting without knowing how long it will be before we see them again. While Australia has crucially and significantly flattened the curve and reduced the number of Covid-19 cases to almost nothing, we believe it is only fair to allow binational couples and families to reunite after the very hard year we have hard away from them.

We deserve to see our loved ones.

Please help by signing and sharing this petition to raise awareness and allow our voices to be heard!

Thank you!