Travel ban 'unlawful on many levels': Human Rights lawyer

The travel ban imposed by the federal government on Indian Australians returning home is "unlawful on so many levels" and "contravenes" Australia's international legal obligations, according to Human Rights lawyer Rabia Siddique. "From a human rights perspective - you know 20 plus years practising in this area - I'm dumbfounded. I'm still almost in disbelief," she told Sky News host Alan Jones. "So, very quickly - it's contravening our international legal obligations under the international covenant on civil and political rights - I would just encourage anyone to read article 12. "It is contrary to our democratic principles as a Western democracy. It is well in excess and exceeds the government's powers under the commonwealth Biosecurity Act - it is disproportionate, it is overly restrictive and intrusive as the wording of the Act details. "And it is against public law principles of consistency, transparency and due process- and of course now we know that it is being tested and challenged in the federal court as being unconstitutional."