International border restrictions stop families reuniting at Christmas despite Morrison?s intention

Australians with adult sons and daughters living overseas are being told their children don't count as "immediate family" and don't warrant exemption for entry into the country in the lead-up to Christmas.

In October, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, announced changes to allow parents of Australian citizens to be classified as immediate family, allowing them to travel to Australian jurisdictions with 80% double-dose vaccination rates.

"I know that will be very welcome news to Australians right across the country who were hoping to be reunited with their family members, their parents who are overseas," Morrison said at the time.

But the same change has not been applied to adult sons and daughters of Australian citizens, who are non-citizens, live abroad, and are no longer considered dependent on their parents.

Ken Galbraith, of Kyneton, Victoria, had been looking forward to seeing his daughter, who lives in the UK and is a British citizen, for Christmas. She had intended to bring Galbraith's four grandchildren with her.

But when she went to apply for the usual tourist visa, she realised she was not eligible for an exemption to the current border restrictions because she was no longer dependent on her father and was therefore not considered his "immediate family".

Galbraith told the Guardian the rule would prevent his family coming together for Christmas, despite Morrison's stated desire to reunite families of Australian citizens.