An Irish pair of grandparents were deported when they entered Australia because they had not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and had no travel exemptions.
After flying 19 hours from Ireland, Anne and Audie Ryan-Murphy landed in Perth and were immediately detained by Border Force officials.
The two were interrogated for 10 hours after landing, after which they were detained at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Perth's CBD, awaiting deportation.
While travellers no longer need to be tested for COVID-19 to fly to Australia, they are required to be vaccinated or have an exemption.
The Ryan-Murphys, who had previously been separated from their families for three years due to strict travel restrictions, embarked on a journey home this year.
They will also meet their granddaughter for the first time and believe they have the right approval to achieve the long-awaited reunion.
Their son Karl said: "They were honest about their vaccination situation from the start. ”
"Under the guidance of domestic travel agencies, they did everything they were asked to do: weeks of paperwork and waiting for approval."
He explained that because they had not been vaccinated. Therefore, according to the plan, the two people will enter the hotel quarantine after entering the country.
Some states, including Western Australia, require unvaccinated Australians to enter the hotel quarantine for 7 days upon returning home, but visitors are not allowed to do so and they must have a special exemption.
The Irish couple set their arrival time to help their son and their pregnant daughter-in-law, who are preparing to welcome the arrival of their second child.
Karl said: "Our second child will be born at any time now, and if the child is not born before this, we will induce labour on May 4. ”
"I know many of us have been in this terrible situation since the beginning of COVID-19, but it's heartbreaking to know that they're on the road and we can't be reunited."
"They had planned to stay here for two months and then come back after we had stabilized a bit because there was very little support here in Perth."
Recent rule changes have seen the end of COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory regulations across the country, but unvaccinated overseas travelers still have to get waivers before entering the country.
Western Australia recently dropped some of its strict COVID-19 requirements, opening its borders, which had been closed for two years, only last month to allow travelers in.
Ms Ryan-Murphy said: "My husband and I have done proper research in the months leading up to arrival. ”
"We've been hit hard. Everyone thinks we're criminals. ”
"Did we make any mistakes here? Why are we able to get on the plane? ”
"We said on all the forms we were not vaccinated."
Border Force officials allegedly told the couple they should not be allowed to board the plane.
The Ryan-Murphy couple were held at the Hyatt Hotel and deported on a Flight Tuesday night.
Their families are pleading with the government to grant them immunity on sympathetic grounds.