We condemn the extraordinary and unprecedented harsh penalties imposed on Australians returning from India. This is discriminatory when no such penalties were imposed on people returning from other nations. At the height of the pandemic in other countries, no such penalties were imposed on returning Australians.

To arbitrarily criminalise the return of a person to their own home and families is also a blatant disregard of human rights. Any curtailment of human rights needs to be proportionate and necessary. It must also satisfy section 477 of the Biosecurity Act under which the ban has been enacted. The section states that the measure has to be 'appropriate' and 'no more restrictive or instructive than is required in the circumstances'. The current ban is neither appropriate nor required in the circumstances. 

AAA demands that the Australian Government immediately withdraw its decision to impose fines up to $66,000 or five years of imprisonment for anyone defying the travel ban preventing Australians returning home from India with immediate effect.