I feel the same - in practice that you should be able to go, but you join last place on the list.
My gut feeling, however, is that - especially as AU is such a multi cultural nation - there would be an exodus. Then once awaythere is no way of pushing them to the back of the queue. It would be the subject of legal challenges. The current inbound caps driven by quarantine are probably legal - although no-one has challenged it yet. The maintaining of the queue is broadly (and conveniently for the Govt) done through the airlines (and we hear about that repeatedly) with the odd QF repat charter thrown in.
As such, it's easier to keep the gates generally shut going outbound except for compassionate reasons and specific other reasons. And in my experience they do check.
I'd be interested to know what the person travelling to India told ABF as the reasons for travel.....I'd be surprised if permission was granted to attend a wedding.