Far-right US influencer Candace Owens loses legal fight to enter Australia

SYDNEY, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Far-right U.S. influencer Candace Owens has lost her bid to enter Australia after the country’s highest court on Wednesday backed the government’s decision to deny her a visa over concerns she could “incite discord” in the community.
Owens, who has built a large online following for her controversial conservative views, applied for a visa to undertake a speaking tour in November 2024.
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Her application was rejected in October 2024 by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, citing her record of downplaying the Holocaust and Islamophobic comments. Burke has powers to deny non-citizens entry based on character requirements under the Migration Act.
Owens appealed to the High Court on the grounds that the power burdened the freedom of political communication, an implied right. Unlike the U.S., Australia does not have an express constitutional right to free speech.
The High Court on Wednesday sided with Burke and ordered Owens to pay the government’s legal costs.
The court said the Migration Act provisions imposed a burden on political communication but served a legitimate and justifiable purpose in protecting the Australian community from visitors who would