Visa cancellation warning after Hezbollah flag display
The immigration minister has repeated his warning that protesters who incite violence at rallies over the Middle East conflict could have their visas cancelled, saying he doesn’t want hatred imported to Australia.
Rallies over the weekend saw thousands of people march in protest at Israel’s mass killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.
But some demonstrators have been condemned for carrying the flag of Hezbollah, which is listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia, along with photos of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike.
It comes as American officials said Israel informed the US it was planning to carry out “limited operations” on the Lebanese border, as tensions escalate in the region.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke said authorities did not know if those at the rallies were on visas but those inciting discord would fail the character tests.
“I don’t want the anger and hatred from around the world being imported into Australia,” he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
“We do have a higher standard in Australia if you’re on a visa, as to what’s expected. If you’re on a visa in anyone’s country, you’re there as a guest … and inciting discord is a reason for me to refuse visas.”
But Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has urged for federal parliament to be recalled in order to strengthen laws against terrorist symbols.
He said laws should allow for federal police to arrest protesters who are carrying such symbols.
“There are provisions within the existing law. If there’s not, the prime minister should recall parliament and deal with whatever deficiency there is in the law,” Mr Dutton told Nine’s Today program.
“We haven’t seen people arrested, as we would have expected on university campuses or on the steps of the Opera House.”
Laws passed federal parliament in 2023 that made it an offence to display the symbol of a listed terrorist organisation, which includes Hezbollah.
Mr Burke suggested cases surrounding the weekend’s protests could be the first time the laws are tested in court.
But he rejected suggestions from Mr Dutton that parliament should be recalled.
“These are laws that Peter Dutton supported when they were passed a year ago,” he said.
“He wants to recall parliament because he wants to throw more kerosene on the fire and get people angrier with each other.”
Mr Dutton said a line needed to be drawn in the sand about visas and possible cancellations following the rallies.
“We have to be very definite about this. If people are acting outside of Australian law, if they’re acting in a way that’s inconsistent with the obligations that they’ve signed up to under their visas … then their visas should be, must be, cancelled,” he said.
“We also need to make sure that people who we’re bringing out at the 11th hour in difficult circumstances where bombs are dropping, that we’re not compromising on security checks of people that we’re bringing back to Australia as well.”
Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner Krissy Barrett said the display of Hezbollah’s symbols at the weekend rallies was not enough for a person to be prosecuted.
She said investigations were under way into the protests.
“There is no place in this country for behaviour that incites hatred or violence based on race or religion. We will arrest and prosecute where we identify alleged offenders,” she told ABC Radio.
“There are a number of elements in the legislation that need to be met for a successful prosecution, or for us to have prospects of a successful prosecution, and it is not just merely the display of the symbol.”
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