The acting prime minister says he has “enormous confidence” in security agencies and the visa screening process, as Australians in Lebanon are urged to return home amid concerns of an escalating conflict.
Documents tabled in parliament on Friday revealed five visas for people fleeing conflict in the Mideast had been cancelled as of April.
That was due to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation determining visa holders were a “direct or indirect risk to Australia’s security” before they entered the nation.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles told Seven’s Sunrise on Saturday the vetting process did not stop when a visa was granted and the issue should not be politicised.
“We have enormous confidence in our security agencies and in the system,” he said.
Things were no different under the coalition, he added.
“It’s the same system in terms of providing a security overlay for people who come to Australia, and what we know is that every person who came from the Palestinian territories, who’s been given an Australian visa, was assessed by ASIO,” Mr Marles said.
He accused the opposition of mounting a scare campaign.
“They’ve undermined the work that our security agencies do,” Mr Marles said.
He is acting prime minister while Anthony Albanese attends a Quad summit in the US.
Mr Albanese told reporters that conflict in the Middle East was “one of the issues that was raised” when he met US President Joe Biden for a 90-minute meeting at his Delaware home on Friday night, local time.
“We continue to call for the release of hostages, we continue to call for a ceasefire, and we also continue to call for a long-term solution as well, which requires a two-state solution in the Middle East,” Mr Albanese said, reiterating the Australian government’s position.
He repeated calls for Australians in Lebanon to come home, amid escalating concerns of wider conflict following cross-border attacks there.
