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In a dramatic turn of events, Scott Morrison has accused Novak Djokovic of trying to ‘run the border’ in an epic serve against the tennis star who has been refused entry into Australia.
The prime minister said Novak Djokovic only has himself to blame for his predicament because he didn’t have a valid vaccine exemption to enter Australia.
‘I want to thank the Border Force officers for doing their job implementing the Government’s policies, they have done their job, entry with a visa requires double vaccination, or a medical exemption,’ Mr Morrison said.
‘I am advised that such an exemption was not in place, and as a result he is subject to the same rule as anyone else.
‘People try to run the border all the time. People come with a visa that may not satisfy other requirements for entry – and they are put back on planes and turned back all the time.’
‘I also want to stress, that ultimately, this is the responsibility of the traveller. It is for the traveller to be able to assert and backup their ability to come into the country consistent with our laws’.
However Alan Jones blasted the federal government over the move to deport Djokovic – claiming he is being treated like a ‘common criminal’.
The outspoken broadcaster accused the government of ‘weaponising’ Djokovic’s case and unfairly singling him out when similar applications from other players had been approved.
‘It gives every impression, as with so many issues, that governments are prepared to abandon facts and cave in to pressure from the left-wing Twitter mob,’ Jones wrote in a post on his personal Facebook page.
‘Djokovic was granted an exemption – now it appears that the visa rules which have applied to others who were granted exemptions, do not apply to Djokovic.’
‘It is easy to see Djokovic as the villain; but the image of an Australia treating a bloke like a common criminal owes more to the behaviour of a police state than it does to a liberal democracy.
‘You either have rule by law or rule by the mob. Which is it?’
Jones’ rant came as an image emerged reportedly showing Djokovic being taken in a van to a hotel quarantine facility in Melbourne on Thursday morning.
Djokovic’s team are understood to have applied for a type of visa that does not allow medical exemptions for the unvaccinated.
The Prime Minister’s criticism comes just hours after the tennis champion was ordered to leave the country, as he jeopardised his chances of competing in the upcoming Australian Open.
