Highlights:
- Dozens of Australians protested in cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth calling for parents be considered immediate family members.
- Due to the COVID-19 related travel ban, only the immediate family of an Australian citizen or permanent resident is allowed to enter Australia.
- The petition signed by over 11,000 people appeals to the Federal Government to change the immediate family members' definition.
Dozens of Australians protested in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and other cities of Australia demanding that their parents be considered immediate family members to travel to Australia.
Sydney-based Rajesh Gulrajani told SBS Hindi, "Our parents cannot travel to Australia despite having a valid visa because the Department of Home Affairs does not consider them our immediate family members. Who can be more immediate in the family than our parents."
Due to the COVID-19 related travel ban, only the immediate family of an Australian citizen or permanent resident is allowed to enter Australia. However, parents are not considered as immediate family.
Therefore many people are not able to bring their parents to Australia.
Mr Gulrajani wants to bring his mother and mother-in-law to Australia, but the 'Immediate family member' rule does not allow him.
Listen to Rajesh Gulrajani's story in his own words:
He says he lost his father and father-in-law last year within the space of a month.
"I could not even travel for the last rites. My wife had to perform two last rites in a month."
"Now my mother and mother-in-law both are in India with no one to take care of them. I want to bring them here as they are my immediate family members. I want to take care of them," said Mr Gulrajani, who launched a petition in the federal parliament of Australia.
The petition signed by over 11,000 people appeals to the Federal Government to change the immediate family members' definition to include parents.
Liberal MP Celia Hammond had presented the petition in parliament in November last year requesting the Federal Government include Australian citizens and permanent resident parents as immediate family members.
The petition reads, "We know this pandemic is going to last long and not able to meet or grief or celebrate events together is causing mental and emotional stress.
"The separation is now having an impact on people's emotions and mental health. Like the US, UK, Canada, other countries are allowing parents of citizens to join them in the country and spend time together during this pandemic."
Ms Celia Hammond MP, Member for Curtin, and Western had hoped for a positive outcome while speaking to SBS Hindi in November last year.
The Department of Home Affairs had 90 days to respond, which will be over in the first week of February.
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