Home Affairs opted not to cancel the visas of 66 criminals –...

Home Affairs opted not to cancel the visas of 66 criminals – including child sex and rape offenders – under Direction 99 over 13 months, with new Immigration Minister Tony Burke facing fresh demands from the Coalition to review the department’s decisions.

Those allowed to stay in the country included 12 people convicted of assault, 10 with an association with bikies or other organised crime groups, seven people convicted of drug offences, a further seven convicted of domestic violence offences and another five convicted of theft, robbery or break and enter.

According to a new breakdown provided by the Department of Home Affairs of data from March 2023 to April 2024, the cohort of 66 criminals also included less than five child sex offenders, less than five rape and sexual offenders and less than five armed robbery offenders. For these categories, the department did not provide a specific number. Over the same period, Home Affairs still cancelled 695 visas on character grounds.