THE NATIONAL SECURITY QUESTIONS LABOR MUST ANSWER

The Albanese Labor Government continues to duck accountability for keeping Australians safe.

Why can’t the Prime Minister, or his ministers, give a straight answer about the security checks that were conducted, or are being conducted, on the 1300 people from the Gaza war zone who were issued a tourist visa to come to Australia?

The Australian people deserve an answer to each of these questions:

• Was security advice sought from ASIO before the government made the unprecedented decision to grant tourist visas to people from the Gaza war zone?
• Is the Minister for Immigration aware of any concerns from security or intelligence agencies about any of the 1300 people who have arrived in Australia from the Gaza war zone?
• Has any visa, of any of the 1300 people who are in Australia from the Gaza war zone on tourist visas, been cancelled?
• Is it true no other government in Australia’s history issued people from a war zone, led by a terrorist organisation, a tourist visa without the checks that would normally be conducted for a refugee / humanitarian visa?

It is disingenuous for the new Immigration Minister to refuse to answer questions by claiming a national security interest when information about visa cancellations is regularly published by the Department of Home Affairs.

Labor’s failed Immigration Minister Andrew Giles granted tourist visas to 3000 Gazans. That is an entirely inappropriate visa for people coming to Australia from a war zone and territory controlled by a terrorist organisation.

Any government that was serious about protecting the safety of its people would conduct a rigorous vetting process on all people coming to Australia from a war zone controlled by a terrorist organisation. The Albanese Labor Government is doing no such thing.

The Albanese Labor Government has a terrible record on immigration and national security:

• Labor botched the release of 178 detainees, including seven murderers, 37 sex offenders, and 72 violent offenders, following the NZYQ High Court decision.
• Labor told the Parliament, and the public, those detainees were released on visas with strict conditions but FOI documents have proven that claim was false.
• Labor issued a Ministerial Direction that allowed violent criminals and sex offenders to remain in Australia when they should have been deported.

ENDS