Katie Hopkins to be deported after hotel quarantine breach
British far-right commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported from Australia after the federal government cancelled her visa.
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British far-right commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported from Australia for breaching hotel quarantine rules as the federal government attempts to pass the buck to NSW over why she was allowed into the country.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on Monday confirmed the government would cancel Ms Hopkins’ visa after footage emerged of her flouting hotel quarantine rules in Sydney and calling the lockdown a “hoax.”
“The Australian Border Force acted quickly to make sure that the visa on which she entered was cancelled … We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can possibly arrange that. So I’m hopeful that it will happen imminently,” Ms Andrews told the ABC.
She described the footage, which has drawn widespread anger from both the government and general public, as “unacceptable,” saying she was “pleased” she was leaving the country.
When asked how Ms Hopkins was allowed into Australia in the first place despite being axed from a reality TV show in the UK for comparing migrants to cockroaches and calling for a “final solution” for Muslims, Ms Andrews said NSW gave the green light.
“She actually came into the country with support of a state government. This does happen from time to time and actually it happens reasonably regularly, that state governments approach the federal government on the basis that there is an economic benefit to some people coming in over the quarantine caps,” she said.
The decision to allow Ms Hopkins in over the quarantine cap sparked fury among Australians stranded overseas, but Ms Andrews insisted it was necessary for the economy.
“We do need people to be able to come into this country where there is an economic benefit for them to do so,” she said.
The controversial commentator was allowed into Australia to film reality TV show Big Brother VIP, but was axed from the show by Channel 7 following news of her behaviour.
“Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine,” a statement from Channel 7 said.
It comes after Ms Hopkins posted a now deleted video on Instagram in which she outed herself for breaking the rules, saying she was waiting in her hotel room for her food delivery so she could “spring it open and frighten the s*** out of them and do it naked with no face mask.”
“That’s one game that I’m playing,” she said while laughing.
To reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19, people in hotel quarantine are required to wear a mask and wait 30 seconds after their food has been delivered before opening their door to collect it.
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