Mark McGowan backflips on WA student entry ban
A week after blocking the promised entry of international students, WA Premier Mark McGowan has backflipped and will let them in.
WA Premier Mark McGowan has offered a lifeline to international students trapped by his latest border shutdown and will allow returning students into the state provided they are vaccinated and agree to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival.
Mr McGowan’s decision is a complete policy reversal, coming only days after he responded to the threat of Omicron by postponing the reopening of the state’s borders and extending the ban on international students.
His sudden announcement on January 20 to scrap the planned February 5 date to reopen the WA border blocked thousands of international students from returning to WA universities for first semester, making it impossible for them to arrive at international airports in the eastern states and transit to Perth.
However, in a new document issued on Tuesday, the Returning Students Directions (No 2), the government said that returning students would be permitted to cross into WA from other states provided they are fully vaccinated and self-quarantine for 14 days.
International Education Association of Australia CEO Phil Honeywood said Mr McGowan’s latest backflip was “policy-making on the run”.
It is currently unclear whether the government’s Returning Students Directions applies to the large cohort of new international students who are commencing their course this year and are thus not “returning”.
WA universities made major efforts to enrol new international students after Mr McGowan met with vice-chancellors last year and committed to a reopening of the borders to arriving students.
Mr Honeywood warned that the changing policies meant that “WA’s reputation as a welcoming study destination will continue to suffer”. “This has been a complete political shambles,” he said. “The victims of these policy backflips are the students as well as education providers who still aren’t certain which of their enrolled students will qualify for a semester one start.”
Despite the uncertainty, the government’s decision to allow in returning students is a relief for WA universities who were infuriated by last week’s decision to extend the border closure beyond February 5 with no end date.
Edith Cowan University vice-chancellor Steve Chapman said it was a positive step. “ECU will continue to work closely with the WA government on the details and implementation of these new directions,” he said.
Murdoch University said it was “greatly encouraged” by its discussions with the WA government. “We are looking forward to welcoming international students to campus,” it said.
The government’s decision means students will be able to cross WA’s “hard border”. Apart from international students, the border is only open to returning West Australians, those travelling on compassionate grounds, those needing “urgent and essential medical treatment”, government officials, parliamentarians and diplomats, and health and emergency workers.
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