NZYQ: Visa bungle forces charges to be dropped against former immigration detainees
A technical bungle with visas has put the Albanese Government in hot water again after it was forced to reissue the documents for 148 of the 149 non-citizens released from immigration detention following a High Court ruling.
The Home Affairs Department has also dropped charges against 10 of them for breaching their visa conditions because they were never issued with valid visas in the first place.
“There’s been no lapse in the constant monitoring of this cohort as a result of this technical issue,” Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“I reiterate that we’ve now resolved it and I want to express, of course, my appreciation of and gratitude for all the law enforcement authorities that have been working so hard to keep communities safe.”
Operation Aegis was set up in November after the High Court ruled it unlawful to keep people locked up in immigration detention indefinitely.
Since December 4, 149 former detainees have been released into the community with 20 of those being in WA.
Labor has been criticised by the Coalition for its handling of the debacle by not being prepared to keep the community safe from the worst offenders freed from immigration detention.
This includes not having ankle monitoring bracelets ready to go for weeks upon the release of the freed non-citizens.
The cohort of released former detainees — some of whom are convicted child sex offenders and murderers — are subject to strict conditions including a curfew from 10pm to 6am every day and being required to tracking devices at all times.
A community protection board was set up by the Commonwealth last month to prepare applications to lock up the worst offenders freed from immigration detention.
