Before everyone gets too excited about this, a few specific points to ponder:
1. There is absolutely no sign at this stage that "bird flu" is going to be anything other than the latest in a series of 'scares' where relatively minor issues on a global scale hav been blown out of all proportion ('vCJD', 'millennium bug', 'SARS' etc).
PreJuly 2006 139ers Sender: CathnPaulLacey21 rung DIMIA last week and they said that the process has been extended, I will let her pick up the link. still doing the waiting game for work experience (until 060606)... our...
2. "Regular" flu kills thousands every winter. Pandemics have happened before but other than 1918 have not caused a disaster on a global scale. In 1918 the First World War was just over and social dislocation was much more than it is today.
3. In a 'real' pandemic (like 1918 or worse), you would have more to worry about than immigration.
4. Don't get confused between quarantine measures and immigration measures. Quarantine can be applied to everyone, including Australian citizens (who are exempt from the immigration laws).
3. Any flu pandemic would likely last for months rather than years and would not bring Australia's immigration program to an end. Unless it was a 1918 or worse scenario that caused a global recession.
Jeremy
-- This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction
