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Anti-Islam activist Australian visa granted
Controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders has had his Australian visa granted, meaning he will be able to travel to Perth in just over a week to launch an Australian anti-Islam party.
The founder of the Dutch Party for Freedom had been invited to attend the launch of an Australian party modelled on his own, the Australian Liberty Alliance. ALA’s president, Debbie Robinson, told Guardian Dutton said he had had a hand in the ultimate decision to grant the visa. Dutton admitted this to the media
“This is a decision made by the delegate within the department,” he told reporters in Canberra. “In some circumstances, including in relation to this matter, I was consulted in relation to this visa. I was happy to take the advice from the delegate, which was to issue the visa.
“They will have a look at the whole history. They will do what is in our best national interest in terms of granting or denying a visa. That is the decision that was made,” the immigration minister said
Dutton brushed aside concerns Wilders’s visit to Australia would stir up similar protests, saying delegates from his department take those issues into account.
Last week, the department cancelled the visa of American anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman on concerns about community safety and good order. The high court hearing to determine whether Newman would be deported specifically noted concerns the campaigner’s presence in Australia could lead to violent protests like those seen in the United States.
Crossbench senator John Madigan has criticised the Turnbull Government for denying anti-abortion speaker Troy Newman a visa while an application from controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders was approved.
"We have a system now in this country that it seems where if you don't have an opinion which is the prevailing opinion, you're not entitled to have it," Senator Madigan told the ABC.
"We're supposed to be a democracy. We're supposed to be a tolerant country.
“We're supposed to be a place where people can express an idea or an opinion, but only now if some people allow you to have it.
Comments
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Monday, 12 October 2015Newman should have taken the visa issue l up at his end, not try to do an illegal run. That was his main issue.
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Monday, 12 October 2015
NO accountability = delegate of DIBP doing whatever they well please.
Speaking to a visa applicant who was granted their visas 10 years back over the weekend and her reply was; I went into DIBP (then DIAC or DIMIA, can't remember which one) asked some questions concerning my current visa. They looked up my case file and said, all is fine, we can help you change your visa status to independent from being a dependent on your parents business visa (she turned 18). She did not have to reapply for any visa or pay any fees to get the change. DIBP is all about money now. Student visas used to be one fee all welcome. Now, charge everyone who is a dependent on the visa and penalise them $700 per applicant for making DIBP office do his job.
Immigration blog
Troy Newman is denied a visa, does a run to enter without one and the rest is history... Anti-Islam activist Geert Wilders Australian visa was denied some years ago but is now granted to come a support a Perth Group against the building of an Islamic Mosque and Extremist right-wing Israeli politician (the Media's description - not mine) Moshe Feiglin comes to do a round of talks in Melbourne... we are living 'Life In A Dangerous Time...' A one size fits all is not the answer but such a policy mismatch isn't the answer either. It would be good to do some work around SO many other aspects of Migration Law, Regulation and Policies which can be nonsensical at times...