An Australian government minister has said celebrity rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, could be refused a visa to visit Australia due to anti-Semitic comments.
Australia’s Education Minister Jason Clare was responding on Wednesday to media reports that the US celebrity intended to visit the family of his new Australian partner Bianca Censori in Melbourne next week.
Ye, previously Kanye West, could be denied a visa to visit Australia owing to anti-Semitic sentiments, according to an Australian minister.
On Wednesday, Jason Clare responded to media claims that the US celebrity planned to visit his new Australian partner Bianca Censori’s family in Melbourne next week.
Clare did not know if Ye had sought for a visa but noted that Australia has previously denied entrance to anti-Semites.
“I don’t know if he’s applied for a visa yet but google it and you’ll see that it appears like he’s a fairly big lover of a person who killed six million Jewish people last century,” Clare told Australia’s Nine Network Today show.
“People like that have been denied Australian visas. I expect him to go through the same process and answer the same questions if he applies.”
Ye’s publicist didn’t immediately comment.
Ye and Censori will visit her relatives in Ivanhoe, northeast Melbourne, next week, according to Seven Network News.
Alex Jones interviewed Ye last month and praised Hitler. Ye was suspended for tweeting a swastika-Star of David image. Over his comments, Adidas and other major corporations ditched Ye.
The Migration Act specifies security and character standards for non-citizens entering Australia. Immigration Minister Andrew Giles’ office claimed he could not comment on particular instances.
Australia has denied far-right figures visas for failing the “good character” requirement. In 2019, David Icke’s visa was revoked before a speaking tour.
According to local media, Gavin McInnes, creator of the male-only “Western Chauvinist” Proud Boys, was denied a visa in 2018 after a public campaign that included an 81,000-signature petition.
Peter Dutton, Australia’s opposition leader, indicated he would prohibit Ye on character grounds if in power.
“My inclination would be not to allow him in,” Dutton told Melbourne’s Radio 3AW on Tuesday.
“His actions and behavior is horrible, and he’s not a good person,” Dutton said.
On Wednesday, Liberal Party member David Coleman said Ye’s visa denial should be “simple”.
On Tuesday, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim lobbied government officials to block Ye’s immigration.
Wertheim told Sky News that the hearing was sympathetic.
“We’ve made the argument that this specific individual does not fit the character test and that it would be in the national interest not to issue him a visa and spelled out our reasons in some detail.”
