Joe Rogan reveals why he’ll never consider moving to Australia

Citing “concentration camps” during COVID-19 and strict gun control laws, Rogan criticizes Australia’s policies.

 Joe Rogan, the popular U.S. podcaster with over 14.5 million Spotify followers, has sparked controversy by calling Australia’s COVID-19 quarantine measures “concentration camps” during a recent conversation on his show. 

Speaking with retired MMA fighter Royce Gracie, Rogan explained why he would never move to Australia, despite once considering it a viable alternative to the United States.

“I used to think Australia, but then I saw how they handled the pandemic. I was like, ‘Oh f***, that’s what happens when no one has guns,’” Rogan said. 

“Yep, the army just rolls in and tells you what to do and puts you in concentration camps because you have a cold. It’s crazy.”

Rogan’s remarks referred to Australia’s stringent COVID-19 policies, which included mandatory two-week quarantines for incoming travelers. 

While most quarantines occurred in hotels, thousands of individuals, including members of the Australian Olympic team, were housed in the Howard Springs quarantine center near Darwin.

The facility, which quarantined approximately 64,000 people during the pandemic, required individuals to pay for their accommodations, with costs reaching $2,500 per person or $5,000 per family. 

Critics of the program likened the facility to a “concentration camp,” an assertion echoed by Rogan.

Rogan also linked the Australian government’s ability to enforce such measures to its strict gun control laws, which were enacted following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. 

These laws banned semi-automatic weapons and imposed stringent conditions on firearm ownership. “That’s what happens when no one has guns,” Rogan emphasized.

Australia’s pandemic response garnered international attention, including the deportation of tennis superstar Novak Djokovic in 2022 for entering the country unvaccinated. 

Djokovic, who was set to compete as the defending champion in the Australian Open, described the experience as “scarring” in a later interview, stating, “I was basically declared as a villain of the world.”

During the pandemic, Melbourne endured one of the world’s longest lockdowns, with 262 non-consecutive days of restrictions, including curfews and travel limits of 5km from residents’ homes. 

Rogan’s comments have reignited debates about personal freedoms, government authority, and public health measures.