'We don't need that': US rapper Kanye West barred from visiting Australia
On July 2, Mr Burke said West had a history of offensive comments, and his staff re-examined the record producer's visa after he released a song in May 2025 titled Heil Hitler.
"Officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," Mr Burke said.
He said the visa wasn't for the purpose of concerts, and any future concert visa would be assessed.
"Every visa application gets reassessed by my officials each time so I'm not taking away the way the act operates," he said.
"Some people say 'oh, don't you believe in freedom of speech', and for Australian citizens, yeah, you've got full freedom of speech, but we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."
It comes as West and his Australian wife, Bianca Censori, faced speculation they had separated two years after they were married.
The rapper married the Melbourne-born architect in a private ceremony in December 2022.
The Department of Home Affairs was contacted for comment.
Controversial US rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been barred from visiting Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke let slip in an interview with the ABC.
On July 2, Mr Burke said West had a history of offensive comments, and his staff re-examined the record producer's visa after he released a song in May 2025 titled Heil Hitler.
"Officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," Mr Burke said.
He said the visa wasn't for the purpose of concerts, and any future concert visa would be assessed.
"Every visa application gets reassessed by my officials each time so I'm not taking away the way the act operates," he said.
"Some people say 'oh, don't you believe in freedom of speech', and for Australian citizens, yeah, you've got full freedom of speech, but we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."
It comes as West and his Australian wife, Bianca Censori, faced speculation they had separated two years after they were married.
The rapper married the Melbourne-born architect in a private ceremony in December 2022.
The Department of Home Affairs was contacted for comment.
Controversial US rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been barred from visiting Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke let slip in an interview with the ABC.
On July 2, Mr Burke said West had a history of offensive comments, and his staff re-examined the record producer's visa after he released a song in May 2025 titled Heil Hitler.
"Officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," Mr Burke said.
He said the visa wasn't for the purpose of concerts, and any future concert visa would be assessed.
"Every visa application gets reassessed by my officials each time so I'm not taking away the way the act operates," he said.
"Some people say 'oh, don't you believe in freedom of speech', and for Australian citizens, yeah, you've got full freedom of speech, but we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."
It comes as West and his Australian wife, Bianca Censori, faced speculation they had separated two years after they were married.
The rapper married the Melbourne-born architect in a private ceremony in December 2022.
The Department of Home Affairs was contacted for comment.
Controversial US rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been barred from visiting Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke let slip in an interview with the ABC.
On July 2, Mr Burke said West had a history of offensive comments, and his staff re-examined the record producer's visa after he released a song in May 2025 titled Heil Hitler.
"Officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," Mr Burke said.
He said the visa wasn't for the purpose of concerts, and any future concert visa would be assessed.
"Every visa application gets reassessed by my officials each time so I'm not taking away the way the act operates," he said.
"Some people say 'oh, don't you believe in freedom of speech', and for Australian citizens, yeah, you've got full freedom of speech, but we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."
It comes as West and his Australian wife, Bianca Censori, faced speculation they had separated two years after they were married.
The rapper married the Melbourne-born architect in a private ceremony in December 2022.
The Department of Home Affairs was contacted for comment.
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