Why “when it’s safe to do so” is a catalyst for negative reactions
“For students, and for the Australian public, the question becomes personal – who are we being kept safe from?”
Since the start of the pandemic international students stuck offshore have been given repeated promises of being permitted to return to Australia “when it’s safe to do so”.
Eighteen months since Australia’s border closed, many once-patient and understanding students are turning to social media to voice their frustration with Australia’s ever-changing timeline and ambiguity around the prospect of returning to Australia.
Over the last four months, The Lygon Group has been monitoring social media to get a closer understanding of international students’ sentiment about Australia’s border closures and Covid-19 response. Varsha Balakrishnan explains what they’ve found.