Aussies still able to travel overseas for weddings despite COVID-19 fears

There are situations where people can go overseas to attend a wedding and come home despite tens of thousands unable to return to Australia.

The government has been accused of leaving stranded Aussies “in the lurch (and) confused” after revelations people can still travel overseas for weddings and take a quarantine place on return.

The government has barred Australian travel to India for weddings and funerals, as the country grapples with the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreak.

But Immigration Minister Alex Hawke confirmed on Wednesday that measure would not be extended to other countries.

Labor home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said the government had left the 34,500 Australians wanting to return home “in the lurch, confused and left behind”.

“Seriously, this tired old Liberal government doesn’t know if it’s coming or going. What a mess,” she said.

RELATED: Australia announces total ban on flights from India

Kristina Keneally says the government has left stranded Australians ‘in the lurch’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“Let’s remember, if Scott Morrison kept his promises – like bringing all of the stranded Aussies home by Christmas last year or rolling out a vaccine this year – we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

Earlier, Mr Hawke told Sky News that Australians could still be granted exemptions for “urgent reasons”, which could include attending a wedding.

“So next week someone could still go overseas, go to a wedding and come back through quarantine?” asked host Tom Connell.

“Yes. There can be situations, but maybe not to India at this moment,” Mr Hawke replied.

Exemptions allowing overseas travel for weddings are contentious, particularly after it was revealed the source of a COVID-19 outbreak in Western Australia had been allowed to travel to India for a ceremony.

The Australian Border Force’s operational directive for outbound exemptions does not mention weddings but exemptions were “generally” approved for a family member’s funeral overseas.

Alex Hawke says Australians can continue to travel overseas for weddings. Picture: Mick Tsikas / AAP Image

WA Premier Mark McGowan last week said it was “just nuts” to allow guests to potentially bring the virus home.

Every returning traveller also takes up a limited space in hotel quarantine, adding to the 34,500 Australians registered with DFAT wanting to return home.

“Why (can) that person go off to a wedding when someone else is wanting to get home, because they need to get home, because they can’t earn money anymore?” Connell asked.

Mr Hawke rejected suggestions it was a “zero sum game” despite a cap on hotel quarantine places.

“It’s never about exactly one place versus another. It’s flight availability. Affordability has changed several times during the pandemic,” he said.

Mr Hawke said the government had ramped up charter flights, but many Australians overseas had “changed their minds” about returning home.

Around 9000 Australians are stuck in India, where the death toll continues to mount. Picture: Ritesh Shukla / Getty Images

Flights to and from India have been grounded over the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreak. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

A DFAT spokesperson confirmed 512,000 Australians have returned home since the government recommended people reconsider their need to travel abroad.

The government on Tuesday suspended all flights from India until mid-May at the earliest after the country recorded over 350,000 COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

The moved left roughly 9000 Australians stranded in India, including between 600 and 650 listed as vulnerable.

A group of Australian cricketers, including superstar Steve Smith, are also stuck having travelled to compete in the lucrative Indian Premier League.

But Mr Hawke said the government would not expedite their return.

“That’s a difficult situation, everyone’s in difficult situation,” he said.

“(But) the government’s put a priority on vulnerable Australians … I think Australians would expect us to have that priority.”