When the immigration minister, Alex Hawke, released his reason for revoking the tennis star's visa for the second time on Friday, it was on "health and good order grounds, on the basis it was in the public interest to do so".

Mr Hawke said Mr Djokovic posed a health risk by potentially causing "an increase in anti-vaccination sentiment". The government's lawyers went even further, saying he was an "icon for anti-vaxxer groups". Then the rhetoric started changing.

Following the Federal Court's decision to uphold the deportation order, border security, not just a perceived risk to public health, was suddenly back at the heart of the government's continually changing narrative.

And, not surprisingly, the Prime Minister - who had kicked off the descent into chaos when he apparently thought Mr Djokovic's arrival was going to be his Tampa moment - was beating the same drum.

Border security has always played well for the Coalition. The question, given the complexities of the Djokovic case, is whether or not voters will take the bait one more time.

The fly in the ointment, which none of the string of ministers including Karen Andrews and Marise Payne who are blowing the border security bugle will address, is that Mr Djokovic had a visa issued by the federal government. Who knows? If the Serbian had not shot himself in the foot by submitting inaccurate documents as part of his visa application and leaving himself open to the suspicion he would be unlikely to comply with COVID-19 restrictions the outcome of the court hearing may have been different.

Mr Djokovic did not speak out against vaccination during his stay in Australia and, while he did bring the situation on his head by failing to get vaccinated, could hardly be said to pose a clear and present danger to our jab rates.

While it is good Mr Djokovic's deportation has told the world the unvaccinated can't come here, Mr Morrison needs to take firm action against the anti-vaxxer icons at the heart of his own government.