MOTIONS › Migrants Convicted of Being a Member of a Terrorist Organisation
Senator RUSTON (South Australia—Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) (12:10): I seek leave to make a short statement? The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator RUSTON: The first priority of the government is to keep Australian citizens safe. Noncitizens who commit crimes are subject to visa cancellations and deportations. Since being elected, the government has cancelled the visas of over 3,700 noncitizens on character grounds, including more than 190 bikies, 300 for child sex offences and almost 1,200 people for assault and other violent crimes. Australian citizens who commit crimes including terrorist offences are subject to criminal prosecution. The government has passed legislation to strip the Australian citizenship of dual nationals who commit terrorism or acts contrary to their allegiance to Australia. So far a total of six dual nationals have been stripped of their Australian citizenship. The PRESIDENT: The question is that motion No. 1072, moved by Senator Bernardi, be agreed to.