May 29, 2024
Heat intensifies on Govt after AFP reveals number of alleged repeat offenders
Pressure is building on Immigration Minister Andrew Giles after revelations nearly one-in-five of the detainees released by the High Court's controversial ruling on indefinite immigration detention have gone on to commit criminal offences.
The Australian Federal Police also said almost all of those who have allegedly breached visa conditions, now a crime under Commonwealth laws with a mandatory minimum of a year in jail, have done so multiple times.
The new information puts more pressure on the Government over its handling of the cohort and other allegedly criminal foreigners. It comes as it was revealed dozens of serious offenders including rapists, drug traffickers and paedophiles were allowed to stay in Australia under contentious measures introduced by Mr Giles that gave criminals with family ties to the country the right to remain here.
These offenders escaped deportation after rulings by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that gave weight to a measure authored by Mr Giles that made an individual's ties to Australia a key consideration to avoid having their visas cancelled.
Mr Giles said on Tuesday in question time he had asked the Immigration Department to give "urgent cancellation consideration" to several of these visas.
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson said the revelation that 28 of the 153 people released from detention after the NZYQ ruling had allegedly reoffended was a further indictment on Mr Giles.
"We have a detainee crime spree. And yet the Albanese Government, the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Immigration have done nothing to use the powers that Parliament gave them to protect the community," he said.
"Let's remember, among these 153 people are seven murderers, 37 sex offenders and 72 people convicted of other violent crimes." The Government is yet to make any preventive detention applications under laws rushed through Parliament at the end of last year, although Mr Giles has previously said several legal cases being prepared are close to being lodged.
A separate document from the AFP shows the 10 people who were charged with alleged visa breaches between December and March had racked up a collective 35 charges.
One former detainee, Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, made national headlines when it was revealed he was allegedly involved in a violent home invasion and robbery of elderly couple Ninette Simons, 73, and her husband Philip, 76, in their Girrawheen home in April.
One person in NSW was charged with breaching their curfew 10 times. However, these charges were all dropped when the visas had to be reissued in March due to a technical bungle.
Since the start of April, AFP have reported a further 15 times they have charged people from the NZYQ cohort with alleged visa breaches.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Tuesday used question time to ask if Mr Giles apologised to a rape victim after the man who assaulted her was allowed to remain in Australia after applying to the AAT.
"Our thoughts are of course with the victims in this case," Mr Giles said. "I remind the Leader of the Opposition and all members that this was a visa that was cancelled and remains cancelled by my department, in line with the ministerial direction 99."
