Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia's strict travel ban during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a highly controversial topic. The Australian government imposed a blanket ban on citizens travelling overseas, with few exceptions, sparking legal challenges and criticism from human rights advocates. The ban, implemented under the Biosecurity Act, was intended to curb the spread of COVID-19, but it also resulted in thousands of Australians being stranded abroad and separated from their loved ones. While some supported the measure as necessary for public health, others argued it infringed on fundamental rights, including freedom of movement. The Australian government also faced scrutiny for its ban on travellers from specific countries, such as India, and for allowing certain exemptions for celebrities and government employees.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ban | March 2020 |
| Who imposed the ban | Prime Minister Scott Morrison |
| Law under which the ban was imposed | Biosecurity Act |
| Who is affected by the ban | Australian citizens and permanent residents |
| Countries under the ban | India, China, Papua New Guinea |
| Exemptions | Urgent medical treatment, unavoidable personal business, compassionate or humanitarian grounds, economic reasons |
| Ban extension date | December 17, 2020 |
| Ban extension till | Mid-2022 |
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What You'll Learn
LGBTQ+ Australians cancel travel to the US for World Pride
Australia has had a tumultuous relationship with travel bans in the past few years. In March 2020, as a new virus spread across the world and reached Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison invoked the Biosecurity Act, banning all travel in and out of the country. This move stranded thousands of citizens overseas and was criticised for infringing on the fundamental rights of Australians.
In 2021, the Australian government extended this ban, suspending all travel from India until mid-May due to rising Covid cases. This decision was also met with criticism, including from the Australian Human Rights Commission, as it barred citizens and permanent residents from returning to Australia.
More recently, LGBTQ+ Australians have found themselves cancelling travel plans to the US for World Pride in Washington DC. This comes as a result of Donald Trump's second-term policies targeting LGBTQ+ rights, sparking fears of discrimination and potential attacks at the US border. Organisers of World Pride have also faced challenges, having to move events from the Kennedy Center due to 'inhospitable' drag bans.
Mik Bartels, a University of Canberra PhD student researching LGBTQ+ healthcare discrimination, is among those who have cancelled their trip. Bartels, who identifies as queer, fears that their academic work and visibly queer identity could lead to detention by US border officials. They told The Guardian Australia: "There was a very real possibility of being detained... The irony of not being able to attend a human rights conference due to potential rights violations is not lost on me."
Equality Australia, an LGBTQ+ rights group, has issued warnings to gender-diverse travellers and activists, citing serious risks of denial of entry, mistreatment, or detention when travelling to the US. These warnings come in response to reports of valid passport and visa holders being denied entry and facing mistreatment by customs and border officials. As a result, many LGBTQ+ Australians, including trans and same-sex couples, have made the difficult decision to cancel their travel plans to World Pride, prioritising their safety over participation in this important international event.
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Trump's plan to ban 43 countries from US travel
Australia has had a tumultuous relationship with travel bans in the past few years. In March 2020, as a new virus spread across the world, Prime Minister Scott Morrison invoked the Biosecurity Act, declaring Australia closed to all non-citizens and non-residents. This move barred most travel in and out of the country, with only a few special circumstances permitting travel.
In May 2021, the Australian government announced it was suspending all travel from India until May 15, due to a surge in Covid cases in hotel quarantine from arrivals from India. This ban included Australian citizens and permanent residents, sparking criticism and legal challenges.
The government's ban on overseas travel was challenged in the Federal Court, with arguments that it infringed on the fundamental rights of Australians, including freedom of movement. This resulted in a difficult situation where thousands of Australian citizens were stranded overseas.
Now, turning to the topic of Trump's plan, there are reports that the Trump administration is considering a new travel ban that could affect citizens from up to 43 countries. This proposed ban is said to be broader than the restrictions enacted during his first term, which primarily targeted Muslim-majority nations. The countries included in this new ban span across three tiers: red, orange, and yellow. Citizens from the 11 countries in the "red" category would be entirely barred from entering the US, and these nations include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
The administration is reviewing potential restrictions that categorize affected countries into three specific groups. The first group, facing a full visa suspension, consists of the 11 countries listed above. The second group, facing a partial visa suspension, includes Haiti, Belarus, and Russia. The third group, facing enhanced screening and vetting procedures, includes countries such as Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Vanuatu.
This potential policy has significant implications for international travel and immigration, impacting families, students, professionals, and tourists. It is important for individuals with ties to the affected countries to stay updated and seek advice from immigration experts as the situation evolves.
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Trump targets citizens of Muslim-majority countries
Australia has had its fair share of travel bans, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison invoked the Biosecurity Act, effectively banning all travel in and out of the country. This move stranded thousands of citizens overseas and was criticised as an outright ban on travel.
In May 2021, the Australian government suspended all travel from India, including for citizens and permanent residents, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in hotel quarantine from travellers arriving from India. This move also drew criticism and legal challenges, with the Australian Human Rights Commission questioning the government's powers to bar citizens from entering Australia.
Now, turning to the topic of Trump targeting citizens of Muslim-majority countries, we can see several instances where former US President Donald Trump implemented travel bans affecting these countries.
Firstly, in January 2017, Trump signed an executive order banning foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US for 90 days. This order also indefinitely suspended entry for all Syrian refugees and prohibited other refugees from entering for 120 days. The affected countries included Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. This order resulted in widespread condemnation, protests, and legal challenges, with critics calling it a "Muslim ban".
In March 2017, Trump signed a revised executive order, often referred to as "Muslim Ban 2.0". This order exempted those with valid visas and green cards and removed Iraq from the list of banned countries. However, it still faced legal challenges, with a federal court in Hawaii blocking the 90-day ban on immigration from six Muslim-majority countries.
In September 2017, Trump signed the third version of his Muslim ban, this time including North Koreans and certain Venezuelan government officials in addition to citizens from six Muslim-majority countries. Despite some changes, critics argued that this version remained a Muslim ban as it disproportionately affected citizens from these countries.
These actions by the Trump administration were widely seen as discriminatory and inhumane, with many accusing the president of disguising religious discrimination as a national security measure. The bans caused significant disruption to families and refugees, with the State Department indicating that vulnerable refugees might also be banned. The orders also drew opposition from within the US government, with over 1,000 US diplomats signing a dissent cable outlining their disagreement.
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Australians fear Trump's America due to anti-LGBTQ+ policies
Australia has had a tumultuous relationship with the United States under the leadership of Donald Trump. Trump's second term has been marked by controversial policies and decisions, including the imposition of tariffs on allies like Australia and executive orders targeting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. These actions have not gone unnoticed by Australians, and their impact has been felt in various aspects of life, from travel plans to the country's political landscape.
In 2025, many LGBTQ+ Australians cancelled their travel plans to the US, specifically to Washington DC's World Pride festival, due to fears of discrimination and potential attacks. Donald Trump's executive orders targeting LGBTQ+ rights raised concerns about how they would be treated at the US border. These fears were not unfounded, as some Australian travellers, including an award-winning comedian, received legal advice warning of potential issues entering the US due to their public criticism of the Trump administration.
The impact of Trump's policies was also felt in Australia's political arena. The right-wing candidate Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, modelled his campaign after Trump's MAGA movement, adopting a darker platform that sought to make Australians fear the opposing Labor Party. Dutton's embrace of Trump's policies and style was met with criticism and backlash from Australians, ultimately costing him the election.
Trump's actions and influence extended beyond politics, with Australians expressing concerns about the impact of his policies on their values and relationships. Australians pride themselves on "mateship," a value that embodies friendship and loyalty, and Trump's unilateral decisions, such as the imposition of tariffs, were seen as a betrayal of this value. This sentiment was echoed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who criticised Trump's tariffs as "not the act of a friend."
The cumulative effect of these concerns has led to a shift in Australia's perception of the United States under Trump's leadership. A Lowy Institute poll revealed that almost two in three Australians had little to no trust in the US to act responsibly. This distrust and unease have been further exacerbated by Trump's controversial policies targeting minority groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community, causing Australians to fear the potential consequences of engaging with a Trump-led America.
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Equality Australia warns of serious risks when travelling to the US
Australia has had a tumultuous relationship with travel bans since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. The Australian government banned citizens from travelling overseas, which was challenged in court as a violation of fundamental rights. The government also banned citizens from returning to Australia from certain countries, such as India, China, and Papua New Guinea, due to COVID-19 concerns. These measures were criticised as being too extreme and infringing on citizens' rights.
In recent news, Equality Australia has warned of serious risks for LGBTQIA+ individuals travelling to the United States. The organisation has highlighted instances of travellers experiencing difficulties entering the US due to their gender identity or sexual orientation. Those with passports with a gender X marker, or whose gender expression does not match their identity documents, may face challenges. There have also been reports of mistreatment by customs and border officials, including deliberate misgendering, targeted questioning, humiliating treatment, and invasive searches.
Equality Australia's warning comes ahead of World Pride, which is expected to attract millions of visitors to Washington, DC. While Washington, DC, is generally considered progressive, travellers are advised to be cautious when visiting other states, as laws and social attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ individuals may differ significantly. Some states have laws restricting access to abortion and other reproductive health services, and some apply the death penalty for serious crimes. Additionally, there is no federal law explicitly protecting LGBTQIA+ people from discrimination.
Travellers to the US are advised to familiarise themselves with local laws and cultural norms, particularly in areas prone to natural disasters and severe weather events. It is important to note that some prescription and over-the-counter medications available in Australia are illegal in the US, and possessing prescription medication without a valid prescription is prohibited. The federal drinking age in the US is 21, but state laws can vary. Comprehensive travel insurance is essential, as there is no reciprocal healthcare agreement between Australia and the US.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in March 2020, Australia banned all travel in and out of the country in response to the spread of COVID-19.
Australians can leave the country if they have successfully applied for an exemption from the federal government on compassionate grounds or other compelling needs to travel and return. However, this process has been frustrating for many, with complaints from people who have been denied multiple times.
Travel restrictions to and from Australia have been lifted as of mid-2022. However, the Australian government is only allowing travel exemptions for some family members under specific circumstances. Parents and grandparents are generally not eligible for these exemptions.
