Minister Ben Carroll labels Kanye West ‘extremist’ ahead of apparent visit with Melburnian wife
Controversial rapper Kanye West has been slammed by a government minister ahead of a reported visit to Melbourne.
Controversial rapper Kanye West has been labelled an “extremist” with a “history of provocation” by a government minister ahead of his reported visit to Melbourne.
The fiery comments come just as West is believed to be heading to the city next week to meet the family of his new Australian wife.
Victoria’s Industry Minister Ben Carroll said on Tuesday any visa issued to West would be an issue for his colleagues in Canberra.
“Kanye West visiting Australia is a matter for the federal goverment. We know he holds some very extremist views,” Mr Carroll said.
West caused global outcry last year when, during a podcast appearance, said he saw “good things about Hitler” and made claims that the Holocaust never happened.
“We’ve got to stop dissing the Nazis all the time,” he said.
He wed architect Bianca Censori, 27, who was raised in Melbourne’s leafy east and works for his company Yeezy, in a non-binding ceremony in Utah earlier this month.
Mr Carroll said West’s divisive views did not reflect those of Australia.
“We know he has a long standing history of provocation, and none of those views represent Melbourne or Victoria,” he said.
“But his immigration, his visit to Australia is a matter for the Commonwealth.
“We know he has a long standing history of bigotry and provocation and I know the
Commonwealth will process accordingly.”
His comments come after calls to ban the rapper from entering Australia grow following his long list of anti-Semitic comments.
The rapper only finalised his divorce with Kim Kardashian two months ago.
Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich is leading the campaign to have West’s visa application denied due to his public anti-Semitic comments.
“There are certain moral issues in life that you can’t ignore,” he told Sunrise on Tuesday.
“This unrepentant Holocaust denier, who likes to hang out with white supremacists, who issued death threats against the Jewish community, who says he loves Nazis and admires Hitler, has no business being here.
“This is a test for democracy and I think we are better than this.”
West had his Twitter account suspended late last year after an interview in which he praised Adolf Hitler and made discriminatory comments against the Jewish community.
Ms Abramovich said West's comments should be seen as a show of significant disrespect towards the soldiers who fought during World War II to defeat Hitler’s regimen.
“If we allow Kanye West in, it will be a spit on the grave of every digger who fought and died to defeat Hitler's regimen,” he said.
“It will also be a kick in the stomach to every Holocaust survivor living here who wakes up in the morning, knowing that this unrepentant bigot can roam the country free and spread his anti-Jewish propaganda.
“It is wrong, I think we need to see a united and loud voice that we don't want him here.”
The decision to cancel West’s visa falls in the hands of Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.
A government spokesman has said he is unable to comment due to “privacy”.
“I believe if he is here, he will incite, embolden and empower his followers to attack the Jewish community, and it will attack the core values that we hold dear,” Dr Abramovich said.
“I call upon the minister to exercise his good judgment, and to say that Kanye West is not a good character and he shouldn't be allowed into the country.”
Rocker breaks silence about on-stage brawl
Jane’s Addiction have cancelled their tour after a shocking band brawl – now, guitarist Dave Navarro is going public with his story.
‘Horrific’: Queen legend shares heartbreak
Queen legend Brian May has broken his social media silence for the first time since he revealed he had suffered a stroke.
Fyre Festival crook’s surprise return
The man who masterminded the disastrous Fyre Festival disaster is back — and he has a plan to do it all again.