German man deported for breaching COVID rules at illegal rave

The German national is the second foreigner to be deported from Australia over the party that breached COVID-19 restrictions.

A second foreigner has had his visa cancelled and been deported following his attendance at an illegal rave in Queensland.

The 27-year-old German national pleaded guilty to state drug charges related to the rave in Gympie Magistrates Court on Monday.

He was then detained by the Australian Border Force, which cancelled his visa on the grounds of that conviction in addition to separate earlier drug charges.

His deportation follows that of a French national on January 19 that the ABF said highlighted their “uncompromising approach to threats posed to the Australian community” by those intentionally breaching COVID-19 restrictions.

The New Year’s party at Gallangowan State Forest, west of Noosa, attracted more than 1000 people between December 31 and January 2.

At the time, gatherings were restricted to 100 in public spaces but up to 1500 if there was a COVID-safe event checklist in place, which authorities say there was not at the party.

The deportation of the German national comes after he pleaded guilty to drug charges relating to the New Year’s rave.

Acting ABF enforcement commander Steven Darby said the department continued to work closely with all partner agencies to combat the danger posed by those “ignoring or flouting COVID-19 measures designed to protect the Australian community”.

“We have made it very clear that we will not tolerate this type of criminal behaviour and hope that this action sends another strong message to those who are thinking of engaging in such activity.”

The ABF established Operation Baritone in May last year to support partner agencies to ensure non-citizens were complying with government regulations.

The ABF has powers under the Migration Act to cancel visas of non-citizens and remove them from the country if they are a risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community.

As a result, there have been 25 field enforcement activities, 349 warnings, 15 notices of intention to consider visa cancellation and eight visas cancelled.