In a statement, a spokeswoman for Think Inc. said the group was "disappointed to learn that the Department of Home Affairs intend to refuse Ms Manning’s visa". "We are of the view that she poses no threat to members of the Australian community. Think Inc. believes Ms Manning is entitled to freedom of expression and political opinion which are foundations of a free and democratic society and fundamental human rights. "Think Inc. along with Ms Manning have requested that both The Hon Peter Dutton MP and The Hon David Coleman MP apply their Ministerial discretion to allow Ms Manning entry into Australia. "The request includes more than 10 letters of support from individuals and organisations who stand with Ms Manning and support her entry to Australia." Chelsea Manning on stage in Berlin in May. Credit:AP

Ms Manning was an intelligence analyst for the US Army when she leaked military and diplomatic documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks. She served seven years of a 35-year sentence before then-president Barack Obama commuted the rest of her sentence in 2017. The transgender activist who recently lost a long-shot bid for a US Senate seat in Maryland had been scheduled to make a number of appearances in Australia and New Zealand, including the Sydney Opera House on Sunday and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre next Friday. Opera House making alternative arrangements While Think Inc. scrambles to salvage Manning's tour, staff at the Sydney Opera House are scrambling to find a work-around, should the appeal be unsuccessful, in time for the iconic venue's Antidote festival. Manning is due to appear at the festival on Sunday in conversation with Australian journalist and free speech advocate Peter Greste.

One solution could be having the famous whistleblower Skype into the session with Greste, as has been done in the past when Julian Assange has spoken to large crowds at Australian universities. Loading Antidote Festival director Dr Edwina Throsby said in a statement that people with tickets to Manning’s Sydney appearance will be notified of any decision by Friday afternoon. "Ms Manning is an internationally recognised commentator on topics including data privacy, artificial intelligence and transgender rights," she said.

"As a high-profile public figure, her opinions, ideas and expertise on these matters are incisive, revelatory and powerful and we hope that her event can continue in some form so she is able to share them with our passionate Antidote audiences. Illustration: Matt Golding "I would like to acknowledge that this is a stressful time for Chelsea and I hope that the situation can be resolved in a way that doesn’t cause any further concern." Greste himself has spoken out against the potential ban, tweeting on Thursday that Manning has "a lot to say, and we have nothing to fear" – and later telling Fairfax Media the government "shows a lack of self-confidence in the integrity and the strength of our democracy" by denying her entry. "Even though she has this conviction, the fact is she has both experience and a perspective on ... issues which are really important to public conversations," he said.

"If the government is serious about defending fundamental liberal principals of human rights, of freedom of speech, of rule of law, of openness and transparency then they ought to be consistent and recognise the contribution that Chelsea Manning will have to public debate. "All of these things are issues that the Australian government and the Liberal Party see as core principals." Visa decision up to new Immigration Minister The Department of Home Affairs said that, while it did not comment on individual cases, all non-citizens entering Australia must meet character requirements set out in the Migration Act. The reasons a person might fail the character test include a criminal record or a determination they might be a risk to the community, the department said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision was for Mr Coleman, who was sworn in on Tuesday. Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong has said that if Ms Manning were denied entry, the government should be transparent about its reasoning. Amnesty International accused the government of trying to silence Ms Manning. "By refusing her entry, the Australian government would send a chilling message that freedom of speech is not valued by our government," Amnesty International national director Claire Mallinson said in a statement. Lawyer Greg Barns, who has represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said people with criminal records have been allowed into Australia in the past.

He said no one would seriously suggest Ms Manning was a risk to the Australian community. A Change.org petition urging the government to grant Ms Manning's visa has gathered more than 10,000 signatures. Ms Manning is also facing calls to be barred from New Zealand, with the centre-right National Party opposition urging the government to decline her visa request. The Herald is a media partner of Antidote Festival 2018. with AP