Federal Court to hear urgent challenge against India travel ban

The Federal Court will hear an urgent challenge today to the Morrison government's ban on Australians returning home from India. The legal team defending 73-year-old Gary Newman - who is stranded in Bangalore - filed an application on Wednesday to challenge the emergency declaration made under the Biosecurity Act. The travel pause came into effect last week making it a crime for anyone to return from India within two weeks of visiting the country. Penalties include fines of up to $66,000 or a five-year jail sentence. Mr Newman is challenging the ban on multiple bases, including constitutional grounds.