The artist was the subject of a call to ban her from a performance at this year’s WOMADelaide, shortly following the fallout of Adelaide Festival’s removal of Palestinian writer Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah.
After the collapse of events around the Adelaide Writers’ Week controversy, are you concerned that intervening in an artist’s visa in this context sets a precedent where coordinated lobbying campaigns can effectively veto who performs in Australia?
This is the crux of the issue.
The ‘good character assessment’ the Minister has is bad enough, if we’re now ‘slow rolling’ as a visa denial policy due to pressure campaigns then the visa system has been made a farce.
As uncomfortable for some, as some people that may come to Australia are, that can’t rule them out of entering and exiting for their own interests. The visa rules need to be clearly defined and actively adhered to by both applicant and government. This is key to having an open and free society like Australia’s. Sooner or later we will all feel the negative effects of arbitrary politically motivated attacks like these.
The Labor Government wouldn’t understand social cohesion if it slapped 'em on the bum.
This is the crux of the issue.
The ‘good character assessment’ the Minister has is bad enough, if we’re now ‘slow rolling’ as a visa denial policy due to pressure campaigns then the visa system has been made a farce.
As uncomfortable for some, as some people that may come to Australia are, that can’t rule them out of entering and exiting for their own interests. The visa rules need to be clearly defined and actively adhered to by both applicant and government. This is key to having an open and free society like Australia’s. Sooner or later we will all feel the negative effects of arbitrary politically motivated attacks like these.
The Labor Government wouldn’t understand social cohesion if it slapped 'em on the bum.