The Opposition has challenged the government to cancel the visas of international students demonstrating antisemitism, suggesting this includes some of those participating in pro-Palestinian encampments.
Some pro-Palestinian encampments have been established at universities across Australia, with students demanding institutions cut ties with weapons manufacturing companies, disclose and divest from all entities involved in Israel’s military operation in Gaza, and cut academic ties with Israel.
The Opposition has accused Labor of failing to combat antisemitism on campuses.
Liberal senator James Paterson argues that partaking in chants such as could be grounds for international students to lose their visas.
“The immigration minister and the home affairs minister have very significant powers to cancel people’s visas on character grounds,” he said on Tuesday morning.
“And some of those character grounds include inciting discord in our community, engaging in racial and religious intolerance, political extremism and support for terrorism.
“All of those are grounds for some of these student protesters to have their visas cancelled. We have seen horrific antisemitism from those protesters.”
The Opposition said it would use section 116 of the Migration Act to cancel the visas of any person “who is or may be a risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community or segment of the Australian community”.
Source Agencies
