Australia Denies Visa to Conservative Influencer Candace Owens Over Concerns of Inciting Discord

Australia has rejected the visa application of American conservative influencer and podcast host Candace Owens, who was scheduled to embark on a nationwide speaking tour in November. The decision was made by Immigration Minister Tony Burke, who expressed concerns about Owens’ potential to “incite discord” due to her controversial and incendiary remarks.

Owens had planned a series of five speaking engagements across major Australian cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. However, her history of promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitic rhetoric, as well as her comments downplaying the significance of Nazi medical experiments and other inflammatory statements, raised significant alarms within the Australian government.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke highlighted Owens’ ability to provoke unrest, citing her remarks that minimized the Holocaust and asserted that Muslims initiated slavery. Burke stated that “Australia’s national interest is best protected when she is not present”.

Owens’ comments have attracted widespread criticism from various groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, which has accused her of promoting antisemitic tropes and anti-Israel sentiments. The LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD has also condemned her anti-trans statements. Local Jewish organizations in Australia had opposed her tour, and opposition home affairs spokesperson James Paterson described her as a “dangerous antisite and conspiracy theorist”.

The Zionist Federation of Australia‘s chief executive, Alon Cassuto, welcomed the decision, stating that “bigotry and antisemitism are intolerable in any form” and that there is no room for Owens in Australia for the sake of social harmony.

Owens has yet to comment on the visa denial on her social media platforms, and her management and local tour promoters have not responded to requests for comment.