A significant number of Aussies believe the Morrison government should keep the borders closed until the pandemic is reasonably contained across the globe, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.
Around 71 percent of the survey believe the Australian border needs to remain shut until the public health crisis has reached a safe point.
An overwhelming 62 percent agreed with the following statement: "It should be the federal government's responsibility to protect Australia's international borders and manage the hotel quarantine system."
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Roughly 39,000 Aussies have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to say they are stuck overseas and are wanting to return home.
They're trapped in foreign countries due to flight limits on the number of arrivals.
The latest survey also found Aussies are suffering from fatigue in regards to the ongoing crisis. More than 70 percent of respondents said they want life to return to how it was prior to the pandemic, and 43 percent agreed with the statement: "I don't think I could stand another lockdown."
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It comes as politicians have begun speaking on the issue of Covid spreading through the community via international arrivals.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the government needs to have a 'cold, hard discussion' about cutting international arrivals into Australia in light of the newly-discovered mutations of coronavirus that are even more infectious than the original virus.
"There needs to be a cold, hard discussion, and I'm happy to lead it, if I have to, about whether with this UK strain ... should it be a much smaller [arrivals] program that's based on compassionate grounds?" Andrews said on Friday.
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"It's not for me to make announcements about how many Australians get to come back to Australia. That's for the federal government. What I'm saying is the game has changed.
"This thing is not the 2020 virus. It is very different. It is much faster. It spreads much more easily."
He added that there needed to be serious talks around 'what's safe, what's proportionate, what's reasonable'.
"Particularly when we're so close to getting that vaccine rolled out," he said.
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Support for the Andrews government's approach for the snap lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19 dipped from 61 percent to 59 percent.
The Premier announced that restrictions would be lifted at 11.59 pm tonight (February 16) as there were no new cases - although gathering limits and mask rules would remain in place until further notice.
This means that Victorians would now be able to leave their home for any reason, and the 5km travel limit will not apply. They will be required to wear masks indoors, and outdoors when physical distancing isn't an option.
Featured Image Credit: PA