Fears Australian border policy will turn us into a ‘hermit kingdom’

Thousands of non-citizen, non-resident visitors are entering the country every month despite an ongoing backlog of Australians struggling to come home.

Thousands of non-citizen, non-resident visitors are being admitted to the country every month amid an ongoing backlog of Australians struggling to come home.

Pressure is mounting to speed up the nation’s sluggish vaccine rollout and re-open borders lest we become a “hermit kingdom”.

According to an Australian Border Force analysis obtained by The Daily Telegraph, on average 14 per cent of travellers required to quarantine on arrival are not Australian citizens, permanent residents, or their immediate family.

Zac Efron’s brother Dylan (left) drew criticism when he entered the country for work in February.

Australians who had been stranded in Nepal prepare to board a flight home.

During the four weeks beginning Monday, February 22 and ending Sunday, March 21, the most recent figures available, over 42,830 travellers arrived in Australia by air.

Over those four weeks, using Border Force’s analysis, that would mean that approximately 6000 travellers were admitted who were not Australians or permanent residents but rather skilled workers or other travellers.

The figures come as a number of sectors from tourism to education seek to increase the number of arrivals.

Last Wednesday the NSW government posted a tender seeking providers to construct purpose-built quarantine accommodation for international students to allow more arrivals into the country without taking places from Australians seeking to come in.

According to the tender, “International education is our second largest export, generating $14.6bn in exports annually before the pandemic and supporting nearly 100,000 jobs in NSW,” but “we estimate in 2021 we have already lost one third of our international student base”.

Matthew Lesh, head of research at the Adam Smith Institute, told The Daily Telegr­a­ph border closures were worse by the slow vaccine rollout.

“It’s startling that international students and non-citizens are being prioritised over tens of thousands of stranded Aussies.

The priority should be accelerating vaccinations so we can reopen the borders and again travel freely,” he said.

“The slow pace of vaccinations is turning Australia into the hermit kingdom — we need a warlike effort to vaccinate and safely reopen.”

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said: “The Government’s first priority always has and will be bringing Australians home.”

“Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members are automatically exempt from Australia’s travel restrictions and can enter Australia without obtaining an individual exemption.

“Inwards travel exemptions are provided in limited circumstances where an individual has critical skills, such as supporting the medical sector, or on compassionate circumstances, including attending a funeral.”