> I just can’t imagine many Australians going to India
It's Australia's 3rd biggest trading partner after China and the US, along with huge numbers of 1st generation citizens. It's more surprising the stated numbers of Australians over there are so low.
For one of the biggest exporters on Earth I'm always amazed at how sheltered Aussies are, many live in a bubble and have to be one of the most irrationally risk-averse people you can find.
Taiwan has been able to competently deal with covid for a year despite being right in the epicentre of it all, there's no flight caps and the only restrictions are for tourists, most people quarantine at home. In comparison, Australia still can't manage to take in more than 50 people on a flight, nor more than 6000 a week into the entire country while the cost for a family of 4 returning to the country often tops $40,000.
As a guide, over 12000 people are leaving the country every week now, more than double than are allowed to come back, it has turned into flight bidding game amongst the richest who can afford to leave for holidays and easily come back paying quarantine costs with no regard for the needs of anyone else who works or studies overseas. Nearly two thirds of the people flying into the country now are not actually citizens, the flight cap doesn't change to accommodate this.
It's truly bizarre to watch most think the government has "handled this well" and general polling supporting these actions. The whole system is breaking down at a fundamental level and yet the only metric Australians seem to judge it by is infection numbers.
Once the dust settles it will more look like pushing women and children out of the way as you rush for the exits of a burning building. I doubt anyone will look back with pride on decisions like this, it undermines the entire principal of citizenship and makes a mockery of signed human rights declarations.
