Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

Yet again the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is either misunderstanding or deliberately misrepresenting the Migration Act of Australia. Just because an organisation holds views that we would all disagree with and, indeed, find abhorrent does not mean that every single individual who is a member of this group or a guest speaker of this group could be denied a visa on character grounds under the Migration Act. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition either deliberately misrepresents the act or misunderstands it. I am more than happy to outline the actions that I have taken in relation to this. I inquired into whether Mr Mustafa had any relevant criminal convictions. He did not. I inquired into whether he is a member of a proscribed organisation. He is not. Methodically and in accordance with the law, I took all the relevant steps required—just as I have done in relation to the 27 visas that I have personally cancelled on character grounds. As a result, not one dollar of compensation has had to be paid to an individual who has had a character test invoked improperly—more than can be said for some of your friends.

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