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On March 19, 2020, when the Morrison government said it would shut Australiaâs international borders, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was grilled on how long the gates would stay closed. Six months or more, the Treasurer said, although he stressed it would depend on medical advice and the borders wouldnât open âuntil it is safe to do soâ.
On Tuesday, Frydenberg delivered a budget which assumes the border will stay more or less shut until the middle of next year, which would be 27 months. He was speaking at a time when Australia had done something almost unthinkable â stopping even its own citizens from coming home from India with the threat of jail.