The Immigration Department now have greater powers to cancel visas of non-citizens. 580 people had their visas cancelled on character grounds in 2015. Approximately 60 per cent were New Zealand citizens.

Under the new law of section 501, those who fail the character test by way of having been sentenced to one year’s imprisonment will now have their visas mandatorily cancelled, the minister no longer looks at family ties or length of residency when making a decision to review cancellations.

 

The Minister stated “My message to the minority of people who travel to Australia and violate community standards is that they should consider themselves on notice; we will continue to target you by cancelling your visa and will remove you from Australia as soon as possible. … I don’t believe people think for a moment somebody who’s here as a guest in our country, who has murdered somebody or committed a sexual offence, that they should remain in our society… We’ve made a record number of cancellations in ­recent months.’’

The Minister has a zero-tolerance approach to criminals.