Calls for Kanye West to be denied entry to Australia
January 25, 2023
Australia's education minister, Jason Clare, on Wednesday said that American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, could have his application for a visa denied over antisemitic remarks he has made.
In an interview with Australian broadcaster Nine News, Clare said Ye's antisemitic comments were "awful."
"People like that who've applied for visas to get into Australia in the past have been rejected," Clare told Nine News.
"I expect that if he does apply he would have to go through the same process and answer the same questions that they did," he added.
Last month, Ye praised Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler during an interview with US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. He went on to post an image of a swastika merged with the Star of David on Twitter which resulted in Twitter CEO and owner Elon Musk suspending West's account.
'Comments are disgraceful' — opposition leader
The statement from Clare comes amid mounting pressure to bar Ye entry to Australia.
On Tuesday, a meeting was held between Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and government officials to discuss Ye's entry ban.
''We've made the case that this particular individual does not meet the character test and that it would be in the national interest not to grant him a visa and we set out our reasons in some detail,'' Wertheim said on Sky News.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton was among those speaking out over Ye's conduct and the prospect of him visiting Australia: ''His antisemitic comments are disgraceful, his conduct and his behavior is appalling, and he's not a person of good character.''
''My inclination would be not to allow him in,'' Dutton told Melbourne's Radio 3AW.
According to local media reports, Ye intends to visit Australia along with his wife Bianca Censori whose parents live in Melbourne.
There has not been an immediate response form Ye's representative over plans to visit Australia.
mf/kb (Reuters, AP)