Teenagers who commit crimes in Australia may have their visas cancelled under a reform being considered by the federal government that Bill Shorten has not ruled out supporting.
Immigration minister Peter Dutton told 3AW Radio in Melbourne that although it was “very difficult” to deport minors, the government was considering lowering the age at which it could cancel their visas to 16 or 17.
Asked about the plan, Shorten said Labor would “look at what he’s saying” and accepted the principle that non-citizens who commit serious crimes have “no place in Australia”.
Dutton also suggested the government will consider introducing character requirements to become an Australian citizen, questioning whether able-bodied people who had not worked while they were Australian residents should be allowed citizenship.
In the interview, Dutton described the government’s decision to cancel the visas of four young people over the age of 18 who are alleged to have had links to the Apex gang.
He warned the government had the power to deport non-citizens who “have been doing the wrong thing”, including “people who may have committed crimes or are members of gangs”.
“I think this should send a very clear message to these people that if they cherish the life that they lead here in Australia, they need to start respecting Australians,” he said. “They need to abide by the law and they need to adopt Australian values.”
Dutton agreed the deportation of the four alleged gang members “certainly is” the start of something more. He referred to a review by a parliamentary committee that is considering expanding the power to cancel visas in section 501 of the Migration Act.
Asked about adding the ability to deport children, Dutton said it was “very difficult” and “we don’t deport children” but added that the parliamentary committee was considering “whether for example the bar could be lowered from 18 to 17 or 16 or whatever the case might be”. “If people can make the case that there are sensible changes that should be supported, the government will support them”.
Dutton complained that police in Victoria had “one hand tied behind their back” and suggested the state government toughen bail laws and move-on laws. He repeatedly referred to the need “to adopt Australian values”, suggesting character considerations could play a greater role in who is allowed to become an Australian citizen.
The minister said Australia needs “to get right the initial decision about whether we allow people to become Australian citizens”.
“We do need to do as much as we can to establish the fact that if somebody’s here for four or five years as a permanent resident, and they’re able-bodied, they’re of working age, and that particular person hasn’t worked a day since they’ve been here, we need to ask questions about whether or not that is a proper contribution, whether or not that person is going to make the best Australian citizen that they could be.”
Dutton did rule out deporting refugees to countries where they would be in harm’s way – breaching the refugee convention – or deporting children born in Australia.
However, Australia already uses an abbreviated assessment process of refugee claims that the UNHCR has said breaches international law and has resulted in asylum seekers being returned to Sri Lanka and arrested.
Asked at a press conference in Melbourne about the possibility of deporting minors who had committed serious crimes, Shorten said Labor would “look at what [Dutton’s] saying”.
“The reality is that people who are not Australian citizens who come to Australia and commit serious crimes have no place in Australia,” he said.
Asked again specifically about minors, Shorten said he would not do “policy on the run” at the press conference. “But Labor is committed to having an immigration policy, which means the people who come here respect our laws, and I think all sides of politics agree on that.”
