In late April 2021, the Commonwealth government determined to prohibit overseas travellers who had been in India from returning to Australia, subjecting them to heavy penalties for breach. This measure was controversial and unprecedented in Australia’s response to COVID-19, drawing sharp criticism for breaching human rights. This article analyses the human rights issues arising under the Health Minister’s determination, and the ensuing Federal Court case of Newman v Minister for Health and Aged Care. Against the backdrop of a renewed push for a national Human Rights Act, it finds that a national Human Rights Act could have made a difference.

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COVID-19 关闭印度边境：澳大利亚人权法案会有所作为吗？

2021 年 4 月下旬，英联邦政府决定禁止曾在印度的海外旅客返回澳大利亚，对违反规定的人将受到重罚。这一措施在澳大利亚对 COVID-19 的反应中引起了争议和前所未有，因违反人权而受到尖锐批评。本文分析了卫生部长的裁决所引起的人权问题，以及随后联邦法院的纽曼诉卫生和老年护理部长案。在重新推动制定国家人权法案的背景下，它发现国家人权法案可能会有所作为。