The Albanese government has banned American political commentator Candace Owens from visiting ahead of a planned speaking tour, saying her presence would ‘incite discord’.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke cancelled the outspoken conservative’s visa this weekend, preventing her from doing her planned five live speaking events next month.
‘From downplaying the impact of the Holocaust with comments about (Joseph) Mengele through to claims that Muslims started slavery, Candace Owens has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction,’ Mr Burke said.
”s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else.’
Owens, 35, became a prominent figure on the American right as one of few African-American commentators to challenge the Black Lives Matter movement, and earned herself a lucrative deal with the Daily Wire conservative platform.
She has 5.8 million followers on Twitter and some 5 million on Instagram.
However she was dismissed by Daily Wire’s co-founder Ben Shapiro earlier this year for her criticism of Israel’s actions in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and America’s support for those actions.
Since that dismissal she has been accused of a variety of anti-Semitic views and positions, leading to a variety of Jewish groups opposing her visit to and successfully lobbying the Albanese government to block her entry to the country.
The government had bipartisan backing as Liberal shadow immigration spokesman Dan Tehan also supported a ban.
The Candace Owens Live tour had been set to begin in Melbourne on November 17, with tickets selling at $95 for reserved seating and up to $1500 for a pre-show VIP dinner with Owens herself.
‘Join us for an electrifying evening with Candace Owens, the outspoken and fearless American conservative social commentator, author, activist, and YouTube sensation,’ the promoters state on the tour website.
‘Known for her controversial takes and unwavering stance, Candace is set to light up stages across and New Zealand with her bold and unfiltered perspectives.’
Mr Burke flagged concerns about her arrival on n shores for weeks.
‘Tickets to these events are selling for $100. I hope she has a good refunds policy,’ Mr Burke said in August.
‘There hasn’t been an application for a visa but if there is the brief will come to me personally.
‘My opposition to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia has always been on the record.
‘I have clear legal powers to knock back a visa to anyone who would incite discord.’
Executive Council of n Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim argued Owen failed the character test under the Migration Act.
‘At a time of unprecedented strains on the cohesiveness of n society, which is very largely the outcome of ignorant and malicious comment on social media, the last thing we need to be importing into our country is yet another so-called celebrity who has made racist and bigoted comments about Jews and other vulnerable groups,’ he said.