Albanese Announces New Visa Rules to Prioritize Community Safety | Australia Immigration Updates
In a significant policy reversal, the federal government has decided to overrule a controversial ministerial decision that has allowed immigrants with serious criminal records to retain their visas. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced during question time that Immigration Minister Andrew Giles will issue a new directive, replacing Ministerial Direction 99, which has faced extensive criticism from the opposition.
Ministerial Direction 99, implemented last January, instructed the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) to prioritize an individual's ties to Australia when considering visa cancellation appeals. This directive has been linked to several contentious decisions where the AAT restored visas for individuals with serious criminal convictions, including a convicted serial rapist, an alleged murderer, and another sexual offender.
Prime Minister Albanese emphasized that the new directive will make community safety the primary consideration in visa decisions. "Minister Giles will be reviewing the recent AAT decisions," Albanese stated. "Parliament yesterday passed legislation abolishing the AAT and replacing it with a new Administrative Review Tribunal.
The only effective way of ensuring the tribunal members are making better decisions is to issue a new revised direction, which the minister will be doing. The new directive will ensure that the protection of the community outweighs any other consideration."
The opposition has vigorously criticized Minister Giles over the original directive, repeatedly calling for his resignation. However, Giles defended his position by highlighting that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had also overseen the release of criminals from federal detention during his tenure.
"Two men convicted of accessory to murder were released from federal detention when Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was the minister in charge of immigration and home affairs," Giles said, referencing a report by the Sydney Morning Herald.
In response, Dutton asserted his record on visa cancellations, claiming he had cancelled over 6,300 visas, more than any minister since the federation. "The cancellation power was exercised within the limits of the Constitution," Dutton wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The government's decision to revise the directive reflects its commitment to ensuring community safety and addressing the flaws in the previous policy. As the new Administrative Review Tribunal begins its work, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact future visa decisions and the broader immigration policy landscape.
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