Position on India ban is untenable

Aclear sign the government is out of its depth over the draconian Indian travel ban is its inconsistent and contradictory messaging. When Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the ‘‘temporary pause on travellers from India entering Australian territory if the passenger has been in India within 14 days of the person’s time of departure’’ he made it clear criminal sanctions would apply.

Then, as the strength of the opposition to criminalising Australian citizens who were merely trying to escape from a highly dangerous situation by returning home became apparent, the tone began to change. By Tuesday, Australians were being told the criminal penalties were just a byproduct of the invocation of the Biosecurity Act and it was highly unlikely anybody would be fined or sent to jail.

So, which is it? Australians, particularly Indian-Australians either trapped on the subcontinent or with friends and families trapped there, have every right to be feeling dazed and confused right now.

This stands in sharp contrast to the way much of the rest of the world, including the US, which introduced Indian travel restrictions on Tuesday, is treating citizens. The American position is that while US citizens are free to return home, most non-US citizens who have been in India within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter the United States. Some exceptions will be made, however.

The government’s position is untenable. It should drop talk of fines and jail altogether and deal with this crisis by more publicly palatable means.