Particle.news
Download on the App Store
10 ARTICLES
·
6h ago

High Court Upholds Visa Ban on Candace Owens, Backing Minister’s Character-Test Powers

The court ruled the implied freedom of political communication does not give non‑citizens a right to enter Australia.

FILE - U.S. conservative commentator Candace Owens speaks at the Convention of the Right, in Paris, on Sept. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, FILE)
US activist Candace Owens delivers a speech during the Convention de la Droite meeting in Paris, France, September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Image
Image

Overview

  • Australia’s High Court on Oct. 15 unanimously dismissed Candace Owens’ challenge, leaving the October 2024 visa refusal intact.
  • The judges found Section 501 of the Migration Act compatible with the Constitution, allowing refusals where speech is likely to stir dissension or strife.
  • Tony Burke’s decision cited Owens’ record, including Holocaust minimisation, Islamophobic remarks, and her mention in the Christchurch shooter’s manifesto.
  • The ruling affirms ministerial discretion to deny entry on character and national‑interest grounds when serious social discord is judged a credible risk.
  • Owens was ordered to pay the Commonwealth’s legal costs following the defeat.