Djoke’s on Home Affairs’ digital fail

Home Affairs has conceded its delayed Digital Passenger Declaration could have prevented the Novak Djokovic visa controversy had it been implemented on time.

Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Department of Home Affairs has conceded its delayed Digital Passenger Declaration could have prevented the Novak Djokovic visa controversy had it been implemented on time.

The $74.8m DPD – which will include a traveller’s Covid vaccination status – was due to be implemented by July 2021, but Senate Estimates heard on Monday it would not be fully operational until July this year.

Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo said if a passenger declared on the planned DPD that he or she had not received a Covid vaccination, “the airline is advised not to uplift” (the passenger).

The Federal Court upheld Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s decision to deport Djokovic in January ahead of the Australian Open. The unvaccinated world No.1 tennis player entered the country on the basis that he contracted Covid-19 in December, arguing infection in the past six months was a valid exemption for being unvaccinated.

But the government disputed the argument, and cancelled his visa on the basis that he was a “talisman of anti-vaccination sentiment” and his presence in Australia might risk “civil unrest”.

Labor home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally asked Mr Pezzullo whether Djokovic would have been prevented from boarding his flight to Australia if the DPD had been in place. Mr Pezzullo replied: “With real time interrogation not just of his declaration but the supporting documents, it is hypothetically possible, yes.”

The department confirmed the first iteration of the DPD would be introduced from Friday, requiring passengers to complete a digital arrival card. But officials said the full system would not be in place until July.

Australian Border Force commissioner Michael Outram said travellers were required to be fully vaccinated to enter Australia, and having a previous Covid infection had never been considered an allowable reason to receive a medical exemption from being vaccinated.

“(Health) Minister Hunt and the Department of Health clearly advised Tennis Australia of this in November 2021,” he told Senate Estimates.

The federal government announced in October 2020 it would introduce a new digital passenger system to support the nation’s Covid-19 response.

“Currently, passenger contact and declaration information is collected on paper cards,” the then acting immigration Alan Tudge said.

Mr Hawke was advised in December 2020 that the DPD would be introduced by July 2021. The deadline was later revised to November 2021 in advice to incoming Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews.

Mr Pezzullo was unable to ­account for the year-long delay.

Labor’s assistant immigration spokesman Andrew Giles said the department’s admissions in Senate Estimates revealed “shocking incompetence” over the DPD’s introduction.