Australian residents say they considered abandoning country over COVID-19 border closure

Key points:

Permanent residents and visa holders say Australia's border policy has changed their view of the country
Some have accused the policy of being discriminatory while others say it affected their mental health
Australia's border reopening has been pushed back to December 15 because of the Omicron variant
Prime Minister Scott Morrison previously said the temporary pause on easing border restrictions was based on expert medical advice.
The National Security Committee statement said last month it would "ensure Australia can gather the information we need to better understand the Omicron variant".
The Australian Border Force told the ABC the country's border measures had been "critical" in protecting the Australian community from COVID-19, and that they strike the right balance between community health and compelling reasons for travel.
She had joined a Facebook group that petitioned the Australian parliament to consider parents immediate family for the purposes of travel exemptions.For Ms Dmytriyeva, the lengthy process to bring her mother to Australia has changed her view of the country and even strengthened her resolve to become an Australian citizen.
Ms Dmytriyeva was only able to reunite with her mother after the rules were changed.
"I was fine without being able to vote but this has changed everything and I applied for citizenship … because I want to vote these people out," she said.