Cameron Caldwell (Fadden, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister for immigration. An Afghan national referred to as ZJFQ had his visa cancelled after being convicted of both raping a 16-year-old girl and intercourse with a disabled 14-year-old child. The Albanese Labor government's watering down of the law has allowed this criminal to stay in Australia, making our country less safe. When will the Albanese Labor government apologise for this catastrophic mistake and reverse its direction 99?

Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fadden for his question. As I've said in answer to previous questions, these are visas which were cancelled—and remain cancelled—by my department in line with ministerial direction 99. What we have here are decisions of an independent tribunal to overturn the cancellation.

I say again that direction 99 did not and does not decrease the importance placed on considerations such as the expectations of the Australian community and the protection of the community from crime. That remains unchanged under this government.