Liberals insist returning refugees to 'where they came from' would not breach international law

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

A federal coalition government may deport refugees who have been convicted of a crime, even if they face danger in their homeland.

The coalition on Sunday announced that asylum seekers and other foreigners who have been sentenced to more than a year in jail for a criminal offence would have their visas cancelled.

Shadow attorney-general George Brandis said the opposition was concerned about a link between crime and illegal immigration.

"If you are looking to the generosity of the Australian people to protect you from what you say is persecution overseas, then you shouldn't ... be in a position to commit serious crimes and expect to be given permanent visas," he told Network Ten on Sunday.

Asked whether approved refugees would be deported, even if there was a presumption that they faced danger, Brandis said: "We would rescind the visa."

International law forbids asylum seekers from being returned to countries where they may be persecuted.

But Brandis said that under the Refugee Convention, a person isn't eligible to be classified as a refugee in the first place if they present a danger to the recipient country.

"If they're initially classified as a refugee but then show themselves to be dangerous to the Australian public, then the same principle, in our view, should apply," he said.

The deputy opposition leader, Julie Bishop, insisted the coalition would not breach international law under the plan.

"But we should have as a matter of principle a policy in place that says if people who are guests of this country break the law and are found guilty of a serious criminal offence, then they no longer have the right to stay in this country," she told Network Ten.

Asked where a coalition government would send asylum seekers if they could not be returned to the place they fled, Bishop replied: "We would send them back to the place where they came from."