Kanye West has Australian visa revoked after Heil Hitler song release
Speaking on ABC's Afternoon Briefing this week, Burke said that the rapper who now goes by the name of Ye 'no longer has a valid visa' because 'he's made a lot of offensive comments', specifically referencing a recent release titled Heil Hitler. Burke said West has been travelling to Australia 'for a long time', and that following his 2022 marriage to Australian designer Bianca Censori, he now has family in the country.
'It wasn't a visa even for the purpose of the concerts; it was a lower level. And the officials still looked at the law and said, 'if you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia,'' Burke said.
'I think that what's not sustainable is to import hatred. Like, you know, some people say, 'Oh, don't you believe in freedom of speech?' And for Australian citizens, yeah, you've got full freedom of speech. But we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry.'
What power does the government have to cancel visas?
The Minister for Immigration has various powers to refuse or cancel the visa of any visitor to Australia, and their family, including if the person fails a 'character test' and the refusal is deemed in the national interest.
The test states that if the minister believes an individual is at risk of vilifying or inciting discord among a segment of the community they may cancel or refuse a visa. Having a criminal record, association with criminal groups, suspicions of human trafficking and crimes against humanity are also considered in the character test.
Who else has had their visa cancelled?
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