With treasurer Josh defending the move as 'drastic' but very essential, the Australian government has decided to introduce a penalty of $66000 and jail for anyone trying to return home from India.
The federal health minister Greg Hunt announced the tightening of the borders and implication of penalty for anyone trying to defy the rules, Friday. The penalty of $66000 could be accompanied by 5-years in jail,
“These decisions are not taken lightly by the government,” he said. “However, it is important to safeguard the credibility of Australia's public health and quarantine programs, and to keep the number of Covid-19 cases in quarantine facilities to a manageable level.”
The measure goes into force on Monday and will be reviewed on May 15th according to the situation.
