Australia plans to ban Manning
Australia is planning to ban US whistle-blower and activist Chelsea Manning from entering the country to give a series of public talks.
Manning, who has also applied to enter New Zealand for speaking events in Auckland and Wellington on September 8 and 9, is scheduled to appear in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Think Inc, the Australian organiser of Manning’s tour, has written to supporters asking them to lobby new Immigration Minister David Coleman, Australian media has reported.
“We have just received a Notice of Intention to Consider Refusal under s501 of the Migration Act from the Australian Government in regards to Chelsea’s visa,” Think Inc director Suzi Jamil wrote to supporters.
“We are looking for support from relevant national bodies or individuals, especially politicians who can support Chelsea’s entry into Australia.”
Section 501 is the same section of the Act used to deport hundreds of New Zealanders with criminal convictions on character grounds.
National’s immigration spokesman and former immigration minister Michael Woodhouse this week called for Manning to be banned from New Zealand because of her criminal record.
Manning, a former US Army intelligence analyst, served seven of a 35-year prison sentence for theft and espionage after releasing hundreds of thousands of classified or sensitive documents to Wikileaks. Her sentence was commuted by former US President Barack Obama.
The Free Speech Coalition, which was set up after calls to ban controversial Canadian speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux from New Zealand, has said it is the right of New Zealanders to hear from someone who is noteworthy, albeit controversial.