It'll be interesting watching Scotty from Marketing trying to deflect blame. No doubt, the Govt had the ability to exclude Djokovic and didn't.
Of course, he'll try to blame the Vic Govt but the Vic Govt was entitled to use the same framework as it uses for all other events. Indeed, it would have created a storm if the Vic Govt had set separate rules for the AusOpen as this would have been used as proof of special treatment for elite tennis players (even if they were in some ways harsher). That framework applies to those who are in the country either because they live here or because the Federal Govt has allowed them in.
It would be amusing if ScoMo tried to argue that Victoria should have fallen in behind the Fed Govt. After all, Victorians haven't forgotten that when we were trying to keep Covid out of Victoria, ScoMo paid little heed to our stricter requirements. He resumed international travel over pleas from Victoria and other states and then said it was Victoria's problem if travellers coming into Sydney immediately hopped onto domestic flights to Melbourne.
But a major problem for ScoMo will be that the Fed Govt never seemed to deal with the Vic Govt over the AusOpen issue. As the above article notes, the Acting Premier, Jacinta Allan, has given TA a please explain, saying TA didn't advise the Vic Govt about Hunt's comments. I'm sure if Hunt had involved the Victorian Govt, we would have heard about it by now. It almost looks like Hunt proceeded on the basis that this was a Fed Govt issue.
It also looks like TA won't accept the blame:
The article also notes tennis officials have privately fumed that there was further correspondence after the letters Hunt relies on and the Fed. Govt didn't make its position clear.
It's also hardly surprising Djokovic's proof of prior infection isn't all that great:
Of course, he'll try to blame the Vic Govt but the Vic Govt was entitled to use the same framework as it uses for all other events. Indeed, it would have created a storm if the Vic Govt had set separate rules for the AusOpen as this would have been used as proof of special treatment for elite tennis players (even if they were in some ways harsher). That framework applies to those who are in the country either because they live here or because the Federal Govt has allowed them in.
Quote:Two expert panels – set up by the Victorian Health Department and Tennis Australia – deemed Djokovic eligible for an exemption to play at the Open. However, this exemption applied only to his participation in the Open and held no legal status at the federal border where Commonwealth officials applied their own test to his exemption claims for a visa.We need them: Tennis Australia pleaded for vaccine exemption for players, The Age.
It would be amusing if ScoMo tried to argue that Victoria should have fallen in behind the Fed Govt. After all, Victorians haven't forgotten that when we were trying to keep Covid out of Victoria, ScoMo paid little heed to our stricter requirements. He resumed international travel over pleas from Victoria and other states and then said it was Victoria's problem if travellers coming into Sydney immediately hopped onto domestic flights to Melbourne.
But a major problem for ScoMo will be that the Fed Govt never seemed to deal with the Vic Govt over the AusOpen issue. As the above article notes, the Acting Premier, Jacinta Allan, has given TA a please explain, saying TA didn't advise the Vic Govt about Hunt's comments. I'm sure if Hunt had involved the Victorian Govt, we would have heard about it by now. It almost looks like Hunt proceeded on the basis that this was a Fed Govt issue.
It also looks like TA won't accept the blame:
Quote:Tennis Australia’s response to those reports, sent at 10.14pm on Friday, said: “We reject completely that the playing group was knowingly misled. Informing players they could get into the country on a medical exemption was taken from the Smart Traveller website that Greg Hunt directly referred us to.”
The article also notes tennis officials have privately fumed that there was further correspondence after the letters Hunt relies on and the Fed. Govt didn't make its position clear.
It's also hardly surprising Djokovic's proof of prior infection isn't all that great:
Quote:Three sources familiar with Djokovic’s paperwork, speaking anonymously to detail confidential documentation, said evidence to support the player’s exemption was “minimal” and was only supported by one doctor.