House debates Questions without Notice

National Security

Wednesday, 14 August 2024 House of Representatives

Dan Tehan

Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

2:46 pm

My question is to the Minister for Immigration. Minister, of all the visas that have been approved for applicants from the Gaza war zone since October 7, have any been granted without an ASIO security assessment being made?

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

There is a process which ASIO is involved with which applies to every single visa issued by Australia, whether you come from the United States or whether you come from the Gaza Strip. That is through what ASIO will routinely refer to as their 'watchlist'—what is technically referred to as the Movement Alert List. It is updated every 24 hours with every name that ASIO puts forward that they are concerned about. Every single visa that has been issued by this government and by the previous government went through that check against ASIO's information.