How is it that international tennis players and their entourage are allowed to land in Melbourne? Yet, thousands of Victorians who are stranded in the COVID "red zones" of Sydney and Brisbane are being prevented from returning home?

In ensuring that the Australian Open tennis tournament goes ahead, the Victorian government has agreed to allow international tennis players and their support teams to fly into Victoria. On arrival, they will be required to complete the mandatory fourteen days of quarantine. Victorians stuck on the COVID "red zones" of Sydney and Brisbane, have no option to return, even if they do quarantine.

Having the Australian Open is big business, and the government wants the tournament to go ahead so that Melbourne and Victoria's international reputation is not impacted. Notwithstanding the government's efforts to keep COVID at bay, this is not a proportionate response. Every day international airlines are bringing in people with COVID from overseas hot spots. You wouldn't have thought there would be a problem with domestic travel from locations where the cases are low.

For the government to prioritise bringing tennis players to Australia rather than bringing home Victorians who are stuck interstate, it's worse than a double fault. It's a double standard.