Foreigners who hurt women and children banned from Australia

Foreigners convicted of violence against women or children will be booted out of Australia or refused entry under a new federal government directive. Currently, the visas of foreigners who fail a character test or have spent 12 months in jail can be revoked.

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Foreigners convicted of violence against women or children will be kicked out of Australia or refused entry under a new federal government directive.

Current laws only allow the government to revoke the visas of foreigners who fail a character test or who have spent 12 months in jail.

Frustrated by repeat ­appeals by disappointed visa applicants, Immigration Minister David Coleman bypassed parliament and issued a ministerial direction in December making it easier to kick out these thugs.

The new ruling will also apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal which has repeatedly blocked attempts to get rid of men who have committed domestic violence.

Foreigners who are convicted of violence against women will be deported.

It is understood more than 200 department officials have been briefed on the Minister’s expectation that any person convicted of a domestic violence-related crime must not set foot in Australia.

The minister’s direction, which came into force on Thursday, will be binding on decision-makers within the immigration department as well as the Tribunal.

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In October, the Tribunal overturned a decision by the Department to deny a visitor’s visa to a Danish man who was found guilty of an attack on his infant son.

The man was sentenced to 30 days suspended imprisonment in a Danish court for striking his son on the head with an open hand and kicking him once.

That conviction wasn’t enough to automatically deny the man entry to Australia. It is understood the man remains offshore while he fights the decision but will be unlikely to be granted entry under the new ruling.

Immigration Minister David Coleman issued a ministerial direction regarding this new directive in December. Picture: AAP/Dean Lewins

The tough new rules will deny entry to any person who has been convicted of domestic crimes even if they haven’t served any jail time, including people from foreign countries.

Several Government MPs are concerned about Australia’s reliance on court rulings from some countries where crimes against women and children are treated as issues of morality rather than violence.

Last month Labor blocked the Government’s attempts to increase its powers to deport or deny entry to violent visa ­holders.

The proposed changes would have extended the government’s power to cancel the visas of anyone, including children, convicted of crimes that carry a maximum jail term of two years, even if they ­escape a jail term.

Mr Coleman said violent men must be barred.

“If you’ve been convicted of a violent crime against women or children, you are not welcome,” he said.

“Wherever the offence occurred, whatever the sentence, Australia will has no tolerance for domestic violence perpetrators.”

Since 2014 the Coalition has cancelled more than 4150 visas of foreign criminals, including more than 500 visa cancellations for crimes against women and children.