Novak Djokovic: Greg Hunt’s letter to Tennis Australia about medical exemptions revealed

Key letters reveal important advice given to Tennis Australia a month before today’s Novak Djokovic visa fiasco.

Health Minister Greg Hunt sent key advice to Tennis Australia in a letter. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Health Minister Greg Hunt sent the CEO of Tennis Australia a letter clearly stating that people who had tested positive to Covid-19 within six months did not meet exemption requirements to enter the country.

The letter, dated November 29, was sent more than a month before Novak Djokovic was on Thursday denied a visa upon arrival to Melbourne Airport due to not having a valid medical exemption for being unvaccinated.

It has been reported the world No. 1 was relying on previously having had Covid for this “permission”, which was announced in a post to his Instagram on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday revealed there had never been a medical exemption in place and the evidence for one was “insufficient”.

A copy of Mr Hunt’s letter, provided to NCA NewsWire, references questions asked by CEO Craig Tiley about unvaccinated people wanting to travel for the 2022 Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic has been denied entry into Australia.

“The Australian Border Force has advised that people must be fully vaccinated, as defined by ATAGI (the national advisory body on vaccines) to gain quarantine-free entry into Australia,” Mr Hunt wrote.

“In relation to your specific questions, I can confirm that people who contracted Covid-19 within the past six months and seek to enter Australia from overseas, and have not received two doses of a Therapeutic Goods Administration-approved or recognised vaccine are not considered fully vaccinated.”

The letter also states that it is up to the individual to ensure they meet the requirements for travel to Australia.

The start of the letter from Greg Hunt.

The second page of the letter.

Another letter sent on 18 November to Mr Tiley from the federal health department also states that past infection to Covid was not a “contraindication to vaccination”.

“ATAGI notes that natural immunity from past infection is recognised in several countries, however ATAGI also notes the challenge of confirming past infection and uncertainties of the duration of protection,” the letter from National Covid Taskforce First Assistant Secretary Lisa Schofield says.

The first page of the letter sent by the federal health department to Tennis Australia.

The letter continues.

“In response to your specific questions... people who have previously had Covid-19 and not received a vaccine dose are not fully vaccinated,” it continued.

Mr Tiley has previously said that Djokovic had been granted an exemption under ATAGI guidelines and it was up to the tennis star to disclose the reason he had been given one.

“If there are several reasons why they are unable to be vaccinated, ATAGI have set out very clear guidelines that have to be followed in order for you to be added to the Australian Immunisation Register and if you are added to that register, you are then exempt from a vaccination and can come into Australia,” he told the Today Show on Wednesday.

“For tennis players, it was a process that was above and beyond what anyone coming to Australia would have experienced.”

Mr Hunt’s letter advised that the Australian Immunisation Register was applicable for domestic purposes only and did not apply in the context of international borders.