Australia will classify parents of citizens and permanent residents as immediate family and allow them to travel to the country, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said.
Speaking at a press conference, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that allowing parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents to travel to Australia will come as good news to many in the country.
He also said that Australians who have been waiting for a long time to be reunited with their offshore family members will finally be able to have their parents join them in Australia.
Immediate family members of Australian citizens and permanent residents will be allowed to travel to States and Territories that have already reached 80 per cent double dose vaccination targets.
Moreover, parents of Australians who wish to travel to Australia must also be fully vaccinated.
As part of the new announcement, New South Wales will allow parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents to enter Sydney from 1 November, provided they are fully vaccinated.
Mr Morrison also said that the Premiers and Chief Ministers of other Australian States had been advised to work towards ensuring immediate family members of Australian citizens and residents can travel to Australia safely.
Citizens and residents in Australia had been campaigning for their offshore parents to be allowed entry to Australia following border closures and international travel restrictions.
Many campaigners were critical of the Australian government’s restrictions on inbound travel, with even immediate family members being refused entry to the country following the coronavirus outbreak.
This caused widespread anguish among Australian residents and citizens whose parents were stranded abroad, leading to an ever-growing momentum of calls to the federal government over the last 18 months to allow immediate family members to enter Australia.
Following the announcement, Australian residents and citizens have already expressed joy at the prospect of reuniting with their parents in Australia.