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Temporary visas serve as key entry points for migrants wishing to visit, reside, study, or work in Australia for periods ranging from a single month to up to five years. These visas offer flexibility and opportunities for individuals from around the globe to experience life in Australia.
Recently, it has come to light that there are approximately 7,000 Iranian nationals holding such visas while currently residing outside of Australia. This issue was highlighted by a statement made by Burke during a press conference yesterday. He remarked that it is quite rare to encounter a situation where an event of this magnitude results in such a significant number of visitor visas being relevant.
Burke emphasized the importance of enabling the government to make intentional and informed decisions regarding who is permitted to remain in the country. He pointed out the complexities that arise when a country transitions to a conflict zone after visas have been issued. “If you receive a visa at a time when your country was not embroiled in conflict, and then it becomes a war zone, there are circumstances under which we might not have granted those visas,” Burke explained.
Burke said he wanted the government to be able to make “deliberate decisions” on who gets to stay in Australia.
“If you get a visa at a time that your country was not a war zone, and then it becomes a war zone, there are visas out there that, in the current context, we would not have issued,” he said.
“We do have the power to cancel them right now. But we have to do it individually for each one and that’s just not a practical thing to be able to do.
“I want the decisions about who comes here permanently to be deliberate decisions made by the Australian government, not an accident of who was coming here for a holiday, and then there was a change in global circumstances.”
The proposed rules would not affect anyone already in Australia, with an immediate family member who is an Australian citizen or resident or with a temporary protection, refugee or humanitarian visa.
Greens immigration spokesman David Shoebridge said the “hypocrisy” was “hard to stomach”.
“On the same day Labor was trumpeting their granting a handful of brave Iranian football players protection, they are trying to slam the door shut on any other Iranian seeking the same protection,” he said.
Greens leader Senator Larissa Waters went further and called the government “morally bankrupt”.
”Labor backed this illegal war, supported raining down bombs on civilians, and now they are shutting the door on those same civilians,” she said.
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