Albanese Government bans Iranians from seeking safety in Australia
Albanese Government bans Iranians from seeking safety in Australia | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Albanese Government bans Iranians from seeking safety in Australia 2026-03-25 The Albanese Labor Government announced today that it will prevent people from Iran who already hold a valid Australian visa from coming to Australia.
This is a brutal and unfair decision designed to ensure none of them can make an onshore claim for protection like members of the Iranian women’s football team. The Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No 1) Bill 2026, which was supported by One Nation and the Liberals, gave the Minister of Home Affairs the power to block people with a valid temporary visa from travelling to Australia.
This power has now been exercised by the Minister of Home Affairs to target Iranians to prevent them from seeking asylum in Australia. The restriction will initially apply to any Iranians holding a subclass 600 visitor visa. We know from evidence given by Home Affairs in answer to questions from Senator Shoebridge that there are currently around 7,200 Iranians who hold temporary visas but have not yet arrived in Australia.
The vast majority of people seeking asylum from authoritarian countries do so by securing a visa and then applying for asylum upon arrival. There are vanishingly small numbers of offshore humanitarian visas provided to people in Iran, because doing so would clearly identify them as a target from the Iranian government. Senator Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson on Immigration, said: “The Albanese Government supported an illegal war on Iran by the US and Israel with the lie that it was to support the Iranian people.
Today, we see with 100% clarity what the Albanese Government thinks of the safety of the Iranian people as they shut the door on protection for people with a visa to come here. “The Labor Party cynically used the plight of everyday Iranians to justify their support for this latest US forever war, and it has now dropped them when they are no longer of ‘use’. “Time and time again it is the Labor Party that passes the cruellest laws targeting refugees.
One Nation and Liberals may cheer Labor on, but it is Labor pulling the trigger. “The Government's claim that it consulted with the ‘leadership of the Australian Iranian community’ may be true, even if I doubt it. But if they did, you get no credit for betraying someone while looking them in the eye.
“To its shame, the Labor government has been explicit that this law is to prevent people from Iran from coming to Australia and seeking safety. “Today’s order puts the lie to the pretence that Labor is supporting the illegal US and Israeli war on Iran to help the Iranian people. They could not care less.” Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
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