1/ I don’t support the Australian govt’s ban on Australians leaving the country. TBC I doubt many want to - I don’t. But people have all sorts of reasons they may want to, most likely interactions with humans they love. Which is part of what makes us human.

2/ there is a human right to leave one’s country in Art 12(2) ICCPR. Obviously there are limits - one can’t just leave if one is legitimately imprisoned for example.

Is it reasonable to restrict this right atm? Certainly, it’s probably safer for an individual not to go.

3/ but we do have human agency and if someone wants to take a risk, why is it for the govt to stop them? Before Covid, people were warned against but could still go to very dangerous places. (apart from IS territory = different issue, war in terror etc)

4/ someone could go and get stuck and not be able to come back. But that’s their problem, just as it’s the problem of those Australians who are currently still OS.

I guess exception could arise for lone children.

5/ they might badger consular staff. I’m not sure that’s an important enough countervailing consideration to a human right.

They might complain to the media and embarrass the govt. that’s really not an important enough countervailing consideration to a human right!

6/ of course at some stage they might be able to get back. And then they can go into hotel quarantine. I realise that’s not fool- proof but risk still v minor per person, esp if govts get act together and make it more fool-proof. Eg police guard hotels not beaches!

7/ One can get permission to go. But thats cumbersome and likely to result in refusal. Unless you’re Tony Abbott. And my default setting is that I’d rather not need govt permission for things unless there’s a really good reason, and this thread argues there isn’t one I know of

8/ I’m not aware of any other country with such a ban, apart from New Zealand (and even then I’m not sure). Maybe some Pacific Islands I really don’t know.

And North Korea - tho that’s aside from Covid.