Migrants that do not exhibit a belief in a “fair go” for all could be booted from Australia if the coalition governs again.
As One Nation leader Pauline Hanson breathes down his neck, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor will unveil the first piece of the coalition’s hardline migration plan in a speech to Liberal-aligned think tank the Menzies Research Centre on Tuesday.
Without putting a number on the migrant intake target he would pursue in government, Mr Taylor wants to place greater scrutiny on people attempting to come to Australia from countries that are not Western liberal democracies.
Three key measures will seek to “lower the numbers and lift the standards” of Australia’s migration program.
They include putting “Australian values” at the centre of migration laws, shutting the door to unauthorised migrants who try to game the asylum system, and giving a “red light to radicals” by strengthening screening processes.
While Australia does not discriminate based on nationality, race, gender, or faith, it must begin rejecting some prospective migrants based on values, Mr Taylor will say, according to an extract of the speech.
“Those who migrate from liberal democracies have a greater likelihood of subscribing to Australian values compared to those migrating from places ruled by fundamentalists, extremists, and dictators,” he will say.
“In that vein, the cohort of Gazans let into Australia following the October 7 attacks present a clear risk to our country.
“They come to our country from a society run by the barbaric Islamist terrorist organisation of Hamas – an organisation that has sought to indoctrinate and radicalise their entire population to accept fanatical violence as normal, especially the genocidal slaughter of Jews.
“That cohort must be re-assessed entirely with far greater scrutiny.”
Complying with the Australian values statement will be enshrined into law and a prescribed set of behaviours that constitute a breach of Australian values will be established.
“In short, if a visa holder undermines our democratic values, doesn’t respect the law, or demonstrates they don’t respect our core values, they will be booted out of Australia,” Mr Taylor will say.
The Australian values statement is a document prospective migrants must currently sign when applying for a visa, which outlines the values they are expected to uphold.
These include respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, recognising English as the national language, and a “fair go” for all that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, compassion and equality of opportunity.
What behaviours that would constitute a breach of these values and act as grounds for deportation would be fleshed out in government, a spokesperson for the opposition leader said.
Mr Taylor will also pledge to bring back temporary protection visas, after the government moved people seeking asylum onto a more permanent visa class.
This will aim to cut down “cheating” of the immigration system and disincentivise overstaying.
The coalition would also establish a joint agency taskforce to boot out overstayers who take advantage of the “appeals merry-go-round”.
Non-citizens will also no longer have access to taxpayer-funded legal aid to appeal cancellations.
Mr Taylor also pledged to establish an enhanced screening coordination centre to identify and block “terrorist sympathisers and security risks” before they enter Australia.
The enhanced screening process would include all applicants being forced to provide their social media accounts when applying for a visa.