Liberty Victoria strongly opposes the Bill and calls for an inquiry into the character
visa cancellation and refusal framework.
Our principal concerns with the Bill can be summarised as follows:
(1) No compelling case has been put forward by the Government to justify the
amendments. They do not achieve their intended purpose;
(2) The amendments set an arbitrary and inconsistent standard of ‘character’;
(3) The amendments, far from creating an objective standard, create
considerable uncertainty;
(4) The amendments are inconsistent with Australia’s international obligations;
(5) The amendments would have a severe impact on particular groups in the
Australian community, including victim-survivors of family violence, children,
refugees, and people with mental illness; and
(6) The amendments would have numerous unintended consequences,
including on the criminal and administrative jurisdictions and service
providers within those spaces.
Submitted To: Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee