Could Djokovic’s Australian Open saga swing the federal election?
- With Omicron cases surging, PM Scott Morrison faces a dilemma: allow ‘Novax’ to remain and be seen as soft on borders; or throw him out and be seen as a ‘joke’
- People might have been more forgiving of a Federer, but Djokovic’s anti-vax sentiment has alienated many Australians amid growing support for jabs
Instead, he found himself in a bureaucratic nightmare. First, his visa was revoked and he was held at the airport for eight hours incommunicado. Then, Djokovic, 34, was detained for a further five days.
On Monday, his fortunes improved, with a federal judge overturning the visa cancellation and freeing him from detention. But Djokovic – a vocal vaccine sceptic – still faces the risk of deportation.
“Politicians may see political value in raising the issue of border security as Omicron cases are surging across the world,” said Andrew Gibbons, an Australian political scientist at the University of Texas at Austin.
Australia’s government, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, has been criticised by opponents for failing to secure supplies of test kits and booster vaccines as the country battles a rapid surge in Omicron cases.
Some lawmakers might want to focus media conversations on border security to “distract the public away from the perceived failures” of its pandemic response, said Gibbons. “Recent remarks from politicians about the Djokovic case may be viewed as opportunistic priming for the election,” he said.