The truth about Morrison ‘rules are rules’!

By Lao Xiao

2022.1.16

The news reported that Djokovic entry declaration did not mention that he had been to Spain. In response, Djokovic explained that it was a human error filled in by his manager, not a deliberate concealment. The media and supporters of the Liberal Party have been using Djokovic honesty as an excuse. Since we are talking about honesty, the author has something to say.

Djokovic explanation is half believable and half unbelievable. It is believable because it is possible, and it is not uncommon for managers in the world of show business and sports to take matters into their own hands and do them a favour; it is not believable because it is an after-the-fact explanation and there is an element of justification. The public can doubt Djokovic integrity, but they cannot use it as evidence – after all, there is only a 50% chance.

The integrity of the Morrison government, however, would not have to be doubted at all, but nailed down.

Today, the internet has posted a summary of examples of the Morrison government playing “blind” to celebrities over the past year.

Since Australia closed its borders in March 2020, dozens of top stars, including Rebel Wilson, Natalie Portman, Ed Sheeran and Matt Damon, have been granted exemptions from international entry requirements.

Reports suggest that Australia’s borders are closed to all non-exempt foreigners and Australian citizens are required to obtain permission to leave. It was one of the strictest borders in the world until it opened on November 1.

Figures from aviation analysis firm Cirium show that 113 private jets landed in Australia between April 2020 and May 2021, 94 of which were from the United States.

Celebrities flying private jets include singer Ed Sheeran, film star Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon.

There was outrage last July when Natalie Portman and husband Benjamin Millepied and Hollywood star Sacha Baron Cohen were spotted on a cruise ship in Sydney during the city’s strict “home rule”.

For other wealthy members of the elite, the segregation rules were completely ignored, the report said.

Last month, Wilson, 41, was granted permission by the NSW government to skip the mandatory 72-hour quarantine after flying from Los Angeles to Sydney for the AACTA Awards.

The actress was seen walking in a park on December 8, hours after stepping off the plane, and her agent told the Daily Mail that the mandatory requirement was personally waived by authorities in Australia’s top state government.

They said Wilson had received government permission from Brad Hazzard, NSW’s director of health and medical research.

Netizens have questioned whether Hollywood stars are required to strictly enforce the “Rules are Rules” as Australia’s prime minister has stressed to tennis stars.

Or do stars from the US not have to abide by Australian rules?

See? This is the “integrity” of the Morrison government, a very hypocritical Prime Minister!

In response to Djokovic, Morrison stressed that “rules are rules”, while Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews was interviewed and said the authorities were investigating people who had been allowed to enter Australia for the Australian Open despite not meeting the country’s entry requirements, and that the Australian Border Force had confirmed three similar cases on Friday night. The various senior officials pretending to be sun screened and impartial are too pretentious!

So wide open to athletes like Djokovic, and so wide open to athletes like Rebel Wilson, Ed Sheeran, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Natalie Portman and husband Benjamin Millepied, and Hollywood star Sacha Baron Cohen and other celebrity stars just looked left and right or just played blind and didn’t mention a word about the rules.

This is the truth of Morrison’s ‘rules are rules’! Is this how the government rules?

The Federal Court probably knew too much of the truth and just couldn’t stand it anymore. It ruled in favour of Djokovic in seconds, a move to save Australia’s face, a true patriot!

Is it true that Morrison’s top officials are being “bitches” (selling out the rules for a long time by letting celebrities into the country) and at the same time trying to be chaste (using Djokovic as a sacrificial lamb)?

The news says the Australian Home Office lost the case and has to pay damages, and the Morrison government is playing games with taxpayers’ money!

Djokovic lost the integrity of one man, but the Morrison government lost the integrity of a nation!

Or maybe the so-called integrity is just 100 steps forward and 50 steps back. The problem is that Djokovic can afford to lose, just one less championship record, but can Australia afford to lose its national credibility? That’s for the history books, ever think about it? Do you have a brain?

 

2022.1.12 First draft 1.15 Revised

The writer is the lead writer/current affairs commentator for  Chillicomment