Commentary
As expected, the effects of Novak Djokovic’s blunder have already plagued the federal government. Ellen Landsley, article Published by News.com.au, on January 11, several politicians reportedly urged the Prime Minister to clear the turmoil of Djokovic visas.
He argued that the reputation of the government and the Australian Open was irreparably damaged as Australia failed to articulate its position on the issue of entry without quarantine.
Within hours of Djokovic’s visa cancellation being crushed by the Federal Circuit, the champion tennis player was already training at Rod Laver Arena. He posted a photo with his team, shining the smile of the victorious warrior.
On January 5, when Djokovic arrived in Melbourne, a government lawsuit crashed due to bureaucratic irregularities at the entrance border. However, the government has shown to judge Anthony Kelly that he has the right to cancel his visa and deport Djokovic.
Given the details that emerged from this incident, there is good reason to justify Djokovic’s expulsion from the country. First, Tennis Australia has shown to players that unvaccinated players must seek a medical exemption by December 10, 2021 in order to be able to quarantine in Melbourne before the opening begins. .. Djokovic applied only around December 16th, when the COVID-19 test was positive.
However, that day and the next day, Djokovic participated in various activities in Belgrade, Serbia, and awarded young tennis players awards. Therefore, his claim that he got sick is not true, or if he got sick, he should have isolated himself rather than exposing others to infection, so irresponsibly. I acted. This could be the second reason why Immigration Minister Alex Hawke could send him back to Serbia at his discretion.
Third, he is expected to be quarantined for 14 days, as admission without quarantine is only available to fully vaccinated players, even if medical exemptions are valid as determined by Judge Kelly. increase. Djokovic only arrived late January 5th, so this requirement cannot be met.
Therefore, when Djokovic arrived in Melbourne, border forces officials confused the situation, but there may be good reason to send him back to Serbia.
However, now that the proceedings have progressed, the decision to deport is a political decision.
In this context, Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s immigration rules are fairly enforced by the Border Service, and the rules apply to all applicants for entry into Australia and are confident, regardless of wealth or fame. It is useful to remember what you claimed. , Or reputation. Unfortunately, in retrospect, the Prime Minister spoke too early, not knowing exactly what happened when Djokovic was cross-examined at the border.
Decisions made by the federal government (the government responsible for issuing visas) are dangerous and can cause election backlash. If Djokovic is deported, supporters of Serbian champion tennis players will be furious and diplomatic relations with the Serbian state will be unstable.
On the positive side, the government has the opportunity to sell to voters the idea that our immigration rules apply to all applicants without fear or approval.
However, deportation is usually banned for three years. This would be too harsh given the turmoil of border forces at Melbourne’s airport. Therefore, if the Minister of Immigration decides to go on the path of deportation, it must be made clear that in his case the three-year ban does not apply.
However, if Djokovic is allowed to play at the Australian Open, recognition of the rule violator will follow him throughout the tournament. He may still be considered to have benefited from a corrupt system of incentives.
In addition, his decision to challenge the border force’s decision would mark him as a litigant who could overturn the decision with his connections and wealth.
For these reasons, it is reasonable to expect voters to punish the government for mismanagement of the case in the next election, which is expected to take place in March or May.
Therefore, there is no easy solution for the government.
Djokovic plays open to defend his title and is suitable for tennis sports as he tries to stop Federer and Nadal’s 20 Grand Slams. This is because I’m always crazy to see fighting the best players in the world on the tennis court.
However, given the reduced preparation time and the stress caused by the proceedings, it is unclear how the drama affected Djokovic’s playing ability. But instead, he may have strengthened his determination to prove to the world that he is truly the number one men’s tennis player in the world.
Everything will be revealed in the next two weeks!
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
follow
Gabriël A. MoensAM is an emeritus professor at the University of Queensland and vice president and dean of Murdoch University. In 2003, Mornes was awarded the Australian Centennial Medal by the Prime Minister for his service to education. He has taught extensively in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the United States. Moens recently published two novels, “ATwisted Choice” (Boolarong Press, 2020) and “The Coincidence” (Connor Court Publishing, 2021).