Cancelled refugee visas skyrocket under Peter Dutton

Refugee and protection visa can­cellations have skyrocketed in the past two years.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: AAP

The number of refugee and protection visas being cancelled has skyrocketed in the past two years, with Peter Dutton revoking 278 in the first seven months of the financial year.

This contrasts with 76 visa cancellations for refugees and asylum-seekers in 2013-14, when the Coalition came to government. In 2015-16, there were 236 — before rising to 457 last fin­ancial year — according to Home Affairs Department figures.

The rises follow a strengthening of the government’s character test, but the figures, which go back eight years, show the largest increase in cancellations was on the ground of supplying incorrect or false information, and of dependants of those who lost their visas.

It is understood the numbers include those who are fighting cancellations in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or have had cancellations overturned.

The figures were provided by the department last month in a response to a question on notice arising from a Senate estimates hearing in February.

Mr Dutton said yesterday the rise was to fix “part of the mess Labor left” in issuing visas “too easily” to illegal maritime arrivals.

“We strengthened the provisions of the character test in 2014 for non-citizens living in Australia who think that they can abuse our community by committing serious crimes,” he said.

“We make no bones about it, if they want to behave that way we will cancel their visa and remove them from Australia.”

Mr Dutton said last week the increase in visa decisions going to the AAT reflected the rising number of cancellations.

The Opposition’s immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann said the government has been in power for long enough to stop blaming Labor.

“This Government has been in for five years now and Peter Dutton has been the Immigration Minister for over three years,” he said. “He should stop blaming Labor for his own failings.”

Since July, 44 holders of a refugee or protection visas have had them cancelled on character grounds, compared with 126 in 2016-17.