The Australian government has booted out 2,800 foreign-born criminals in just three years in an unprecedented crackdown.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is backing the blitz on foreigners who break the law in Australia.
‘People need to be responsible for their own actions and I’m sick and tired of people being in this country, who should not be here committing crimes, costing taxpayers thousands if not millions of dollars,’ she told Sunrise on Monday.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says Australians are sick of paying for foreign criminals
‘If they have a criminal offence, then they’re being deported out of this country. And I, and I reckon the majority of Australians, will agree with me on this one because they’re fed up with it.’
Almost half of the 2,847 foreign-born criminals expelled from Australia since 2014 are violent thugs – with 1,115 people deported for grievous bodily harm or violent crime, the Herald Sun reported.
The Australian Federal Police has worked with their state counterparts, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to track down the foreign-born criminals.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is prepared for a fight with civil libertarians.
‘We aren’t asking much — just that visitors to our country don’t kill, rape or rob Australians during their stay,’ he told News Corp Australia.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says visitors just have to avoid rape, murder and robbery
‘I have no doubt that by deporting convicted paedophiles we are saving children from being future victims. The same goes for rapists and drug dealers.’
The deportation list during the past three years also included 455 drug traffickers and dealers; 223 paedophiles and child pornography collectors; 114 rapists and sex offenders; 54 murderers; 21 convicted of manslaughter; 24 foreigners whose visas were cancelled on national security or organised crime grounds; and 841 white collar criminals.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Australia has a responsibility for foreign criminals
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young repeatedly interrupted Senator Hanson during their Sunrise debate.
‘Let the courts do their job, Pauline,’ she said.
Earlier, the left-wing senator from Adelaide said Australia had a responsibility for these foreign-born criminals.
‘Some of these people have been here pretty much all their life,’ she said.
‘A lot of New Zealanders who have come here as young children, have grown up in this country, educated in this country, and if they’re now committing crimes, in some respects Australia has to take some responsibility.’
Former Tasmanian Rebels bikie gang boss Aaron ‘AJ’ Graham, who hails from New Zealand, last year appealed to the High Court against Mr Dutton’s decision to deport him from Australia, claiming it was ‘unconstitutional’ to do so.
The court has reserved its decision.