Letter to Zali Steggall Re: International Borders and Expat Parents
We speak to parents daily who are here from another country and who are devastated every day by the International Border closures.
We wrote a letter to Federal MP Zali Steggal on behalf of our expat parenting community to open the conversation.
Below is our letter and her response.
LETTER - 27th October 2020
Zali Steggall MP - Zali.Steggall.MP@aph.gov.au
Level 2, 17-19 Sydney Rd, Manly NSW 2095
Dear Ms Steggall,
I am writing to you on behalf of some of Beaches Baby’s clients in the expatriate parenting community.
New parents are doing it tough. Covid19 in many ways has made parenting sweeter by giving us more time at home to connect with our child and partner, however, in many ways, expatriate parents are doing it the toughest.
Expat parents are struggling with the burden of being overseas and away from their families with absolutely no vision or line of sight as to when this separation may come to an end.
New parents are already fragile, and we are seeing a decline of their mental health. Adding to the lack of family help and support, is the guilt of being away from their child’s grandparents and extended family.
Beaches Baby offers prenatal classes, a free weekly support space for new parents, as well as a Dad Club and we have important mental health conversations in all of our baby and me classes.
The vast majority of these parents who talk to us about their parenting journey, are expats who express that they are struggling to cope with the unknown of when they will see their family again.
Many of these valuable members of our society, who give us their skills and the diversity that makes Australia such a beautiful place to live are considering leaving Australia, their chosen home, in order to surround themselves with this family support. If these families continue to leave Australia, we will lose their skills and contributions to the community which would be a travesty.
We ask that Australia consider allowing foreign travellers with locally sponsored connections, I.e. parents of a Permanent residents or valid visa holders, who are more than willing to isolate at their own expense in hotel quarantine, to be allowed to do so, so they are entering Australia in a Covid safe way consistent with Australian Government protocols. Currently this is not an available option.
Not only will this change benefit the families in our community, but also the retail, hotel and tourism industry in our local area who have also been so severely financially impacted.
Alternatively, if these parents could request permission to temporarily leave Australia on compassionate grounds, and still comply with the Australian Government Protocols on their return, that would assist in not having their elderly family members on planes in these uncertain times whilst supporting these parents in their desire to connect with their family, benefitting their emotional and mental wellbeing.
We hope you are able to see the need for this action and will move to support the mental health of our new parent community and look forward to your response.
Kindest regards
Peta Arthurson
Owner Beaches Baby and Concerned Citizen
RESPONSE 30/10/2020
Dear Peta,
Thank you for writing in regarding the concerns of the expat community about the travel restrictions imposed as a result of Covid -19. We completely sympathize with the distress these restrictions have placed on so many with loved ones abroad. Zali made reference to this distress and the need for a long-term plan for travel arrangements in a speech to parliament some months ago. Please see her speech here.
Zali wrote to the Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton in August calling on the government to include ‘parents and family members’ in the definition of ‘immediate family members’ allowed to travel to Australia. Please see her letter here. Zali subsequently met with Minister Dutton to discuss the contents of the letter. Minister Dutton explained that the government is prioritizing the return of Australian citizens and permanent residents before it can assist temporary visa holders to return.
There are options for those who are Australian citizens or permanent residents and have a compelling reason to travel outside Australia for more than 3 months. The attached directive states that these applicants will generally be granted an exemption.
Zali will continue to push for more exemptions to be granted on compassionate grounds.
Kind regards,
Julie Giannesini Electorate Officer
