‘Should have been deported’: Geelong-based senator slams violent criminal’s visa bungle
A foreign criminal who almost killed a man at Eastern Beach with a wheel brace and a knife had his visa reinstated this week in a shock decision that has outraged a Geelong-based senator.
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A foreign criminal who almost killed a man at Eastern Beach with a wheel brace and a knife had his visa reinstated this week in a shock decision that has outraged a Geelong-based senator.
Indian national Gurpreet Singh, who is on parole after spending six years in prison for the savage attack of a pizza delivery driver near the Geelong waterfront in 2017, took his fight to remain in the country to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) following his release from prison.
The tribunal found Mr Singh’s links to Australia “weighed strongly” in his favour to overturn the decision to cancel his visa, a move Liberal senator Sarah Henderson called “horrific”.
His victim, Lakhwinder Singh, suffered sickening injuries after the sustained assault, with a court hearing had it not been for prompt medical attention his attacker could have faced a murder charge.
The case is just one of a number of recent examples of violent foreign criminals having visas reinstated by the AAT, resulting in calls for besieged Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to resign.
Ms Henderson said the Geelong-based thug “should have been deported”.
“This is another horrific example of Labor’s failures on community safety, particularly for the people of Geelong.” she said.
“Gurpreet Singh should have been deported from Australia as a direct result of this savage attack.
“Instead, he has been on parole and allowed to remain in the country because of the direction signed and introduced by Andrew Giles.”
Mr Giles has been heavily criticised after it was revealed a controversial ministerial direction — known as Direction 99 — he issued in January 2023 had resulted in the AAT overturning the visa cancellations of dozens of criminal non-citizens, allowing them to remain in Australia.
Lakhwinder Singh had three metal plates and six screws inserted in his head following the late-night attack in the Ritchie Blvd car park in October 2017.
His arm was also allegedly slashed with a 30cm-long knife and he required surgery to repair skull fractures and relieve pressure on his brain.
The Home Affairs Department is expected to reverse the AAT’s decision on Gurpreet Singh. The government was contacted for comment.
Mr Giles said he was “deeply concerned” the cases of many very serious offenders having their visas granted back to them by the AAT “were not brought to my attention”.
“The fact is that some of these cases had been decided some time ago,” he said.
Home Affairs are expected to advise him of other such decisions on Thursday.
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Originally published as ‘Should have been deported’: Geelong-based senator slams violent criminal’s visa bungle
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