5.1 Parallels in the lived experience of statelessness prior to Australia Restrictions on travel was also observed to have significant impacts on stateless people in Australia with family members overseas. Research suggests that the conditions and restrictions imposed on stateless people in Australia can effectively replicate those experienced by people in their country of origin. In this way, Australian government restrictions are exacerbating the harm experienced by stateless people prior to their arrival in this country. “I’m not allowed to travel; it’s a condition of my visa. I haven’t seen my family or anyone since I came to Australia. I try to ignore this— to shut it out. My mum and brother are in Gaza strip. My sisters and I are spread out all over the world, so far apart. But my mother and my brother are in Gaza. It’s too unbearable to talk about. Parallels between discriminatory measures imposed on stateless people in their country of origin, then replicated in Australia, include in the areas of freedom of movement, access to education, access to healthcare, access to employment, and exclusion from belonging. 5.1.1 Freedom of movement Many stateless people spoke of experiencing government imposed restrictions on their freedom of movement in their country of origin (particularly Rohingya in Myanmar), and those imposed by their experience in detention or their visa (or lack thereof) in Australia. “Eventually we were put into community detention. We weren’t allowed to work or move around anywhere. To go anywhere we had to ask our case officer for permission. Just like in Burma really…. Sometimes, our lack of freedom—the restrictions we have on us— makes it feel like we are living in a jail. Like we don’t have a future.” — Yasmin* Restrictions on movement were found to have a detrimental effect on family groups separated across state borders. “My husband’s mother arrived on the same boat as us, but she is living in community detention in a different state. She was detained in Nauru with us. She’s been in community detention in Australia now for almost ten years…Worst of all, she can’t travel to see us—and we can’t go to her. She doesn’t know her grandkids. We came all this way together, and now we are separated by a short difference but unable to see each other.” — Yasmin* 54 Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness | Understanding Statelessness in Australia (I) will marry in a few months…I’m so happy but also sad, knowing my family won’t be able to be here for it. The wedding planning is challenging. Sometimes I feel excited and then at other times I think—“what am I doing? How can I get married now?” I got to the point a couple of months ago where I wanted to cancel the wedding. Two of my sisters are married and both got marred in the same way I will be forced to—without family there…So I feel like I’m following in this family trend.” — Amira* Restrictions on freedom of movement were observed to be particularly hard for young adults who were unable to participate in many of the ‘normal’ activities such as sleepovers and travel of their peers. “We live in community detention. We aren’t allowed to move around or work. We have lots of conditions applied to us. We have to sign an agreement that controls the way we are allowed to live while in community detention. It says I’m not allowed to have sleepovers with my friends which I find weird. It sets out how we are allowed to interact with our neighbours. We have a curfew…. I’d love to travel around Australia. And overseas. I’d love to go everywhere! See the whole world…. I’d love to fly away.” — Nur*