World music star Joseph Tawadros calls for ‘equal playing field’ after failed bid to come home

A Sydney musician wants the same treatment as sports teams and reality TV stars after the government refused him entry home.

ARIA award-winning virtuoso Joseph Tawadros has been delivered a “kick in the teeth” by the Australian Government who rejected his application to come home on the grounds his tour would not be “economically stimulating”.

The world-famous oud player and composer said he received a raft of conflicting advice about getting home in time for his November concerts as he watched thousands of sportspeople, Hollywood filmmakers and reality television contestants score exemptions on the basis of their economic and cultural contributions.

Joseph Tawadros has won a trophy cabinet full of awards for his music. Picture: Supplied

Tawadros said the lack of an equal playing field for the 45,000 Australians stranded overseas during the pandemic had dented his trademark positivity.

“I love getting behind the green and gold, I love my sports but let’s just equal the playing field a bit for musicians and at least give me the illusion you care about me and what I do,” he said.

“I thought maybe my Order of Australia medal might have had some sway, but no, it doesn’t.”

“How to get an oud player into Australia at the moment #fairgoformusic #culturallyviable”. Picture: Supplied

But the hilarious musician couldn’t help devising a humorous take on his quest to come home to work and reconnect with family, posting social media memes photoshopping him playing cricket with the oud or posing with Australian Olympians.

“It’s my take on how to get an oud player into Australia, how to get Aussie Joe home,” he said.

The acclaimed musician was due to tour with the Australian Chamber Orchestra next month, with his The Four Seasons concerts now cancelled and not likely to be staged until 2023.

Tawadros shared a humorous take on his efforts to get an exemption to come home for work. Picture: Supplied

He said his November gigs would not only have given him his first decent paycheck in 18 months but a much-needed income boost to at least 90 musicians and arts workers plus hundreds of venue staff.

With Tawadros unable to come home from London, the ACO have announced a replacement program from November 13 to 17 in Sydney, but cancelled the concerts scheduled in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

“The kick in the teeth is for my own government to reject the exemption on the grounds the tour would not be ‘economically stimulating,’” he said.

“What about culturally stimulating? That it’s a cool thing to do? That it might be a morale boost for some people or help the players or the 90 people in the chain of doing this tour.”

Tawadros would love the government to tackle the travel exemption inequality. Picture: Supplied

Tawadros, who usually tours Australia twice a year, returned to his London base in March 2020, catching Covid on the flight to the UK.

With London in lockdown until recently, he hasn’t been able to book any gigs there or in Europe.

When his Australian tour dates for November were locked in and accounting for two weeks quarantine and rehearsal time, six months ago Tawadros booked a business class seat for October.

“I was told if I booked business, I wouldn’t get bumped. So I paid 5000 pounds (A$9620), and I got bumped,” he said.

Tawadros is hopeful he may return to Australia next year for his biannual tours. Picture: NCA

The composer, who can play a mind-boggling 52 instruments, scrambled to book another flight in October but nothing was available.

He started to investigate securing a seat on a repatriation flight to Darwin but was instead advised to lodge an exemption application based on the grounds of returning to Australia to work after no gigs for the past 18 months.

“The Australian Chamber Orchestra had to lodge the exemption and that would open up

a quarantine spot above the cap – and remember there’s plenty of seats, the flights coming home have 30 people on them,” Tawadros said.

“With the exemption, I was told I could then approach an airline, because I would have a quarantine spot.”

When his application was rejected, Tawadros faced another logistical nightmare, having to find temporary accommodation as he had already arranged to rent out his London home for the duration of his trip home.