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| Coalition would deport refugees convicted of a crime | Coalition would deport refugees convicted of a crime |
| (4 months later) | |
| A federal coalition government may deport refugees who have been convicted of a crime, even if they face danger in their homeland. | A federal coalition government may deport refugees who have been convicted of a crime, even if they face danger in their homeland. |
| The coalition on Sunday announced that asylum seekers and other foreigners who have been sentenced to more than a year in jail for a criminal offence would have their visas cancelled. | The coalition on Sunday announced that asylum seekers and other foreigners who have been sentenced to more than a year in jail for a criminal offence would have their visas cancelled. |
| Shadow attorney-general George Brandis said the opposition was concerned about a link between crime and illegal immigration. | Shadow attorney-general George Brandis said the opposition was concerned about a link between crime and illegal immigration. |
| "If you are looking to the generosity of the Australian people to protect you from what you say is persecution overseas, then you shouldn't ... be in a position to commit serious crimes and expect to be given permanent visas," he told Network Ten on Sunday. | "If you are looking to the generosity of the Australian people to protect you from what you say is persecution overseas, then you shouldn't ... be in a position to commit serious crimes and expect to be given permanent visas," he told Network Ten on Sunday. |
| Asked whether approved refugees would be deported, even if there was a presumption that they faced danger, Brandis said: "We would rescind the visa." | Asked whether approved refugees would be deported, even if there was a presumption that they faced danger, Brandis said: "We would rescind the visa." |
| International law forbids asylum seekers from being returned to countries where they may be persecuted. | International law forbids asylum seekers from being returned to countries where they may be persecuted. |
| But Brandis said that under the Refugee Convention, a person isn't eligible to be classified as a refugee in the first place if they present a danger to the recipient country. | But Brandis said that under the Refugee Convention, a person isn't eligible to be classified as a refugee in the first place if they present a danger to the recipient country. |
| "If they're initially classified as a refugee but then show themselves to be dangerous to the Australian public, then the same principle, in our view, should apply," he said. | "If they're initially classified as a refugee but then show themselves to be dangerous to the Australian public, then the same principle, in our view, should apply," he said. |
| The deputy opposition leader, Julie Bishop, insisted the coalition would not breach international law under the plan. | The deputy opposition leader, Julie Bishop, insisted the coalition would not breach international law under the plan. |
| "But we should have as a matter of principle a policy in place that says if people who are guests of this country break the law and are found guilty of a serious criminal offence, then they no longer have the right to stay in this country," she told Network Ten. | "But we should have as a matter of principle a policy in place that says if people who are guests of this country break the law and are found guilty of a serious criminal offence, then they no longer have the right to stay in this country," she told Network Ten. |
| Asked where a coalition government would send asylum seekers if they could not be returned to the place they fled, Bishop replied: "We would send them back to the place where they came from." | Asked where a coalition government would send asylum seekers if they could not be returned to the place they fled, Bishop replied: "We would send them back to the place where they came from." |
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