The Federal Opposition has accused the Immigration
Minister of seeking "Trump-like powers" to review the visas of certain
people based on their nationality, race or religion.
The
Government wants to introduce a process to "revalidate" the health,
character, employment and contact information for some long-term visa
holders, as part of its plan to trial a 10-year visa for Chinese
nationals.If "adverse information" is found about a recipient during that check they could lose the visa.
Labor said while it supported the idea of revalidation for the long-term visa, it was now worried the proposed powers could go much further, with one MP warning it could represent a slide into fascism.
"Ultimately Labor cannot give Trump-like powers to a minister who has such a high desire to see a divided Australia," Shadow Minister Shayne Neumann told Parliament.
"Labor won't support a bill that could see whole groups of people targeted on the basis of their place of birth, passport or religion."
Mr Neumann said Labor was in favour of the pilot program to grant Chinese nationals the 10-year visitor visa, which is designed to help boost tourism and develop Northern Australia.
But he said as the bill was currently written, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton could order a similar revalidation check on visa holders from any "class of persons" if he thought it was in the public interest.
