Australia Campaign Thread

FelixUrbasik

Australia not only has a travel ban, but an exit ban too. Meaning no one can get in or out.

As I'm affected myself, I'll start this thread to give each other some hope. I really think australian media will be picking this up very soon. They can't possibly keep this up till next year. It's just not feasible with all the pressure.

Also, I've seen a video where an Australian politician said this could be a chance to reform the migration laws. I'll post it here when I find the link.

So, are you Australian or do you have an Australian partner? Let your frustration out here.

lilacbijoux

FelixUrbasik
Yes! Last time I saw my Aussie boyfriend was in January when I visited Melbourne. He had tickets bought to come see me in April when it all fell apart! We love each other and are having a very hard time being apart!
Please keep me posted with news and
changes!

MayFlower

FelixUrbasik my bf is from Australia and I don’t have any hope. I think is one of the most strictest country in the world

TaylorSargeant

FelixUrbasik
I am Australian, I have a partner in German. Engaged to be married. Legit feel stuck, like a prisoner. My anxiety of 'when' I can go back just adds to it all. I can't plan getting married, can't plan my studies (going to study the language, then pursue work). I am not coping mentally with this travel ban at all.... 😞

UnaikiEsther

FelixUrbasik
Hey there! I just found this page as I was browsing the internet before bed. I'm an Aussie from Adelaide....My story (in short) was that I was living in Copenhagen, backpacking and working when I met my boyfriend, who is an amazing Dutch guy!! We fell in love and were planning to move to the UK together in 2020 where I would start an internship in archaeology... But unfortunately in March we both lost our jobs in Copenhagen and my UK internship was cancelled. We both made the hard decision to return home and stay with family for a while! We naively though at the time that this would all blow over in time and we would be reunited within a few months!! Unfortunately not the case. I am enjoying being back home as have not lived in Adelaide for 6 years and am very very grateful to be in a city with no active community spread... And we are both going really strong!! I just wish of course to see my love again soon! Please I hope Australia will open it's borders to partners sometime soon!! So we could reunite with the ones we love!

autumn

ABC has been great and has been the first to shed some light on the situation: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-08/coronavirus-separated-lovers-seek-travel-ban-exemption/12431716. I think they're really serious about trying to inform the public about what is going on.

I'd love to see the video where a politician said that. Was it Zali Steggall MP? She's been a ray of light - she's the only one who has talked about us.

FelixUrbasik

autumn I can't find it anymore! I watched it last night with my girlfriend, I'll ask her for the link when she wakes up.

Nevermind, found it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6toZb997UU

FelixUrbasik

I'm honestly thinking about creating a sub site for Australia.
Maybe that way people will learn about it?

autumn

FelixUrbasik Let's do it! Let's cause a commotion

JVetsch

FelixUrbasik I am trying to get some movement in Australia as well. My partner is stuck there as well and his travel exemption was not authorized.

JamieChristopherson

FelixUrbasik Absolutely would support that and happy to assist.

autumn

Ah, Kristina Keneally! Her assistant emailed me on her behalf so it was nice of them to acknowledge my existence. They said that she can't do anything about it because she's not part of the Liberal party.

FelixUrbasik

Yeah there are some good ones in the parliament, but also a lot of bad ones.

What would we even put on the site? I started loveisnottourism.org as a kind of online poster, maybe we could think of something like that.

"Australia became a prison - again!"
"You are jailed!"
"Did you know you cannot leave?"

Seriously, we could make a campaign out of this.

autumn

FelixUrbasik I like the first one! There's been talk about Australia "going back to its root" and becoming a prison island AGAIN. Maybe that will draw attention?

JVetsch

FelixUrbasik pretty sure most Aussies are unaware of the travel ban. It was not announced officially and just extended till at least September. Talking to my partner most his mates have no clue as it is not affecting them. How could we get movement on this?

cthulhus_mom

Do folks really not know they can't leave? Because if so that's a major failure on behalf of the Australian government to keep its citizens informed.

I'm in a Facebook group where several Australians have just recently (as in the past few days) received approvals for their travel expemtions. The going theory is because of the change from state sponsored hotel quarantine to requiring folks to pay their own quarantine fees. As usual, money talks.

FelixUrbasik

cthulhus_mom Sounds like a typical thing Australia would do...

autumn

cthulhus_mom I think I'm in the same group as you. I saw a lot of people getting exemptions and the timing is no coincidence. I asked my Aussie friends about it and they had no idea that they were banned from leaving.

JVetsch

cthulhus_mom how did you get it approved?

FelixUrbasik

I would like one or two Australians to join in as ambassadors basically. I don't want to make a political statement about Australia while I'm not even Australian.

JVetsch

FelixUrbasik I am Swiss/Aussie.

FelixUrbasik

This thread shows again, that people don't know: https://twitter.com/Fellintr/status/1282968559732363264

autumn

That's the reason why I didn't start any petitions and tried to push other people to create it...because I'm not Australian. It would look so awkward if an American starting spewing out political statements.

FelixUrbasik

autumn Yeah we need Australians on top of this. It's not really our cup of tea, even though we're affected.

autumn

There's a petition going around asking the Aus government to allow dual-citizens to leave the country. I'll look around and see if there's a petition asking the Aus government to please allow Australians to leave the country without having to apply for an exemption.

saschimiii

autumn

autumn here a petition for reuniting loved ones! http://chng.it/srYnWfLxxG

autumn

Yes. So I did see a petition started by Australians asking the government to stop forcing them to apply for exemptions to leave the country but they also asked the government to not force them to pay for quarantine. So I don't think that's going to work.

Lukage

Hi Guys , I’d love to join this Facebook group you speak of . I’m Australian & my partner is stuck overseas . Iv applied for an exemption to leave & received no response.
I’m feeling like our government has turned us back into prisoners !!
Anyway If i can help here as an Aussie I’m happy to .

JVetsch

Lukage that would be awesome. Could get my Aussie partner to help too. I am Swiss/Aussie but currently in Switzerland

autumn

Hey! Here's the FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2826959227427192/