Petition EN2702 – Lift the Australian travel ban on unmarried and same-sex couples.
This is a petition that has been put forward to the Australian government to request that unmarried and same-sex couples be permitted to get a travel ban exemption to enter Australia during the COVID restrictions.
Currently, the relevant rules are that you must have a partner visa granted to enter Australia without a travel ban exemption. This applies to married couples, unmarried couples, same sex couples, different sex couples.
The wording of this petition request leaves one major issue that appears detrimental to its acceptance. See below petition details:
Petition Reason:
Unmarried couples have now been separated for over a year by the Australian border closures, causing significant impacts on mental health and in many cases, separating Australian citizens from their closest supports. This particularly disadvantages same-sex couples who until recently were unable to marry in Australia and are still unable to marry in many countries. Many countries have implemented ‘sweetheart visas’ to allow unmarried couples to reunite, , recognising that this travel is essential to the health and wellbeing of their citizens and should be permitted on a humanitarian basis.
Petition Request:
We therefore ask the House to allow unmarried and same-sex couples to enter Australia under a travel exemption, and to consider this urgently in light of the delays in the Australian vaccine rollout and the ongoing toll of separation on many thousands of Australians with partners overseas.
Issued to be considered:
Same sex couples and unmarried couples have been able to apply for a partner visa for a lot longer than many people are aware of, and it would appear that they are not facing a disadvantage compared to married or different sex couples.
I have seen examples of unmarried same sex couples being able to enter Australia recently.
At least since 2011, partner visas have been allowed on the basis of their spousal or de facto relationship for opposite and same-sex couples.
The Petition is at: www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN2702
As at 17 June 2021 this petition has had 236 signatures and expires on 23 June 2021.
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