Overview
- Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said visitors must come for the right reasons and that spreading hatred is not a good reason to enter Australia, citing the government’s expanded visa powers.
- Sammy Yahood said he was notified of the cancellation hours before departure, flew to Abu Dhabi, and was then prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Melbourne.
- Recent law changes following the Bondi Beach mass shooting allow the minister to refuse or cancel visas for people judged to have engaged in hate, vilification or extremist conduct.
- The Australian Jewish Association condemned the decision and argued Jewish visitors are being targeted, pointing to earlier visa cancellations involving Ayelet Shaked, Hillel Fuld and Simcha Rothman.
- Yahood has posted Islamophobic comments, including calling Islam a murderous or disgusting ideology, and he now disputes the official rationale and says he will take unspecified action.