Australian PM slammed over interstate travel amid lockdowns

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended his decision to travel to Sydney despite current Covid-19 outbreaks and lockdowns in major cities.

It was revealed yesterday that Morrison flew from Canberra to Sydney on September 3 on a Royal Australian Air Force jet to spend time with his family in his home city before returning to the capital, reports said. Under current Covid-19 restrictions, anyone who travels from Sydney to Canberra must quarantine for 14 days.

However, Morrison was granted an exemption on the condition that he restricts his movement while in the Australian Capital Territory and undergoes frequent coronavirus tests.

The exemption prompted criticism of the Prime Minister, with senior Opposition Labor Party member Bill Shorten accusing Morrison of “appalling judgement” at a time when more than half of the population is in lockdown and barred from travelling interstate. In response, Morrison said there had been a “lot of misinformation” about the trip.

“I can understand people’s frustration,” he said.