Australia rejects far-right commentator Candace Owen's plea to enter country; cites her ability to create discord

Australia’s high court has rejected US far-right commentator and influencer Candace Owens’s legal challenge against the government's decision to bar her from entering the country. Three judges upheld the government's decision, which was made in 2024.

The court said that granting her a visitor's visa could “incite discord in the Australian community”. Court documents showed that Owens failed to meet the country’s character test.

The High Court of Australia said that the Home Minister Tony Burke’s decision to refuse Owen a visa was “not invalid”. She was also asked to pay the government's legal costs in the case.

Candace Owen is a popular right-wing podcast host, commentator, and author. She has over 18 million followers across social media platforms. Burke has found that Candace, who was a political commentator, author, and activist, was known for “ her controversial and conspiratorial views,” and said that her presence in Australia would amplify her already known ability to incite discord.

In the court documents, Burke had said that she made “extremist and inflammatory comments towards Muslim, Black, Jewish, and LGBTQIA+ communities, which generate controversy and hatred.”

Owen’s legal team had argued that the Migrant Act was unconstitutional because ot infringed o the country’s freedom of political communications. They also argued that Burke had misconstrued his power under that law when they refused her a visa.

The judges had rejected both arguments.

Previously, Australia had stripped rapper Kanye West of his Australian Visa after he released a song that supported Adolf Hitler in May this year.

After Australia made the decision to ban Owens, New Zealand had also joined in November last year.