Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has doubled down on his decision to cancel the visa of controversial U.S. commentator Candace Owens, who had planned a speaking tour in Australia.
Addressing the National Press Club on Thursday, Burke said that Australia has ‘every right’ to reject visitors who ‘promote their own brand of bigotry’.
Burke said he acted on advice from national security agencies and took a hard line on character grounds, a move that was confirmed by the High Court after Owens’ lawyers challenged the ban.
‘When someone applies for a visa, they’re asked to be a guest in your country,’ Burke said.
‘If their purpose for coming is to start an argument, we don’t have to say yes.’
Owens, known for provocative views on race, gender, religion and politics, had planned a five-city speaking tour across Australia in late 2024.
But her visa was revoked after Burke determined she failed the Migration Act’s ‘character test,’ citing her history of inflammatory remarks regarding Muslim, Black, Jewish and LGBTQIA+ communities.
Burke said he ‘personally’ made the decision to ban Owens from the country.
Tony Burke said that he ‘personally’ intervened to revoke Candace Owens’ (pictured) visa
The High Court unanimously upheld Burke’s decision, rejecting Owens’ appeal and ordering her to pay the government’s legal costs.
The judges ruled that while political speech is protected in Australia, it does not extend to foreign nationals seeking entry.
‘With all the challenges we have for social cohesion, I’m very proud for Australia to draw a line,’ Burke said.
‘Australians have freedom of speech. But people who want to come here, wanting to disrupt, promote their own brand of bigotry, we don’t need to say yes.’
In a rare moment of political unity, Burke pointed out that even conservative commentator Andrew Bolt supported the move.
‘Some of you would have seen written today, a rare point of solid alliance between myself and Andrew Bolt,’ he said.
Bolt previously referred to Owens as a ‘total kook’, and criticised her views as being ‘poisonously ignorant’.
He also criticised her for claiming that Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, was born a man.
Candace Owens had planned to come visit Australia as part of speaking tour across the nation
Tony Burke said Australia had the right to rejects visas for those who ‘promote their own brand of bigotry’
The Macrons have sued Owens over the comments, calling them ‘verifiably false and devastating lies’ and claimed to have evidence that disproved Owens’ assertion.
Burke also revealed that his department has taken a tougher stance on visa cancellations in cases of domestic and family violence, even when convictions fall short of mandatory cancellation thresholds.
‘I do err on the side of caution,’ he said. ‘The test for visa cancellation is a test of character, not necessarily a test of criminality.’
‘I have, and I will continue to do so. I think there’s a strong case for the national interest of Australia being well served by Candace Owens being somewhere else, and she’s not alone in that category.’
Owens has not yet publicly commented on her High Court loss, but Daily Mail understands that she is set to respond on social media in the coming days.
