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Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Extra $800m for AUKUS was scheduled, PM
Australia has sent another $800m to the US as part of the AUKUS deal, which the Trump administration has under review, but the Prime Minister says it was simply a part of the 'schedule'. Anthony Albanese was asked about the new payment that took the total to $1.6bn, which was reported in Nine newspapers on Wednesday. 'There is a schedule of payments to be made, we have an agreement with the United States as well as with the United Kingdom,' Mr Albanese told ABC's Afternoon Briefing. 'It is about increasing the capacity, their industrial capacity, and as part of that, we have Australians on the ground, learning the skills so that when it comes to the SSN-AUKUS, the submarines being built here in Australia, we have those skills.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the $800m sent to the US for AUKUS was a scheduled payment. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Defence Minister Richard Marles earlier confirmed the report saying 'the payments are occurring in line with Australia's commitment to contribute US$2bn by the end of 2025, which underscores our commitment to the successful delivery of AUKUS Pillar I outcomes'. The US' review was announced in June and is being headed up by Elbridge Colby, the US undersecretary of defence. Mr Colby recently made headlines when it was revealed he was pressuring the Australian and Japanese governments to reveal what they would do if China invaded Taiwan. The nuclear submarines are set to be built in Australia. NewsWire / Morgan Sette Credit: News Corp Australia The AUKUS deal is a long-term arrangement that will cost upwards of $268bn, and as much as $368bn, over the next 30 years. Australia would buy nuclear submarines from the US, while developing our own capacity to build submarines in Adelaide. The new payment came as Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said he was 'worried' about the government's position on defence. 'I worry that the government – I think it's not just me worried, I think every expert looking at this is making these comments – they're deeply worried that we're not on our way to having the defence force we need in such an uncertain time,' Mr Taylor said. 'We've got authoritarian regimes around the world flexing their muscles.'
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Australia just banned Kanye West over his song Heil Hitler: ‘Importing hate is not sustainable'; netizens applaud
In one of the more bizarre headlines of the week, Kanye West, 48, now legally known as Ye, has been banned from entering Australia following a series of anti-Semitic acts, including the release of his controversial track Heil Hitler. The song, which was independently released in May, has since been removed from major platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube, and has triggered widespread backlash for its references to Adolf Hitler and overt anti-Semitic undertones. Kanye West with wife Bianca Censori Now, the Australian government has taken a decisive step. Tony Burke, the country's home affairs minister, confirmed in a televised interview with ABC's Afternoon Briefing that West's visa had been revoked under special provisions typically used to bar individuals intending to conduct public speaking tours. 'Most of the visas that have been cancelled under this section have been where someone was seeking to make a public speech,' Burke explained. 'The only one I can think of where it wasn't for public advocacy – the visa – but we cancelled it anyway, would be Kanye West.' The minister further stated that West had previously been visiting Australia regularly, noting that his wife, Bianca Censori, is from Melbourne and that he still has family ties in the country. However, the situation changed after the release of Heil Hitler. 'He's made a lot of offensive comments that my officials looked at again once he released the Heil Hitler song, and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia,' said Burke. The decision comes in the wake of another visa cancellation, that of an Israeli-American tech advocate who had publicly stated that 'Islamophobia is rational.' When asked if such bans are sustainable especially in light of global tours by controversial figures, Burke was clear: 'I think that what's not sustainable is to import hatred.' Netizens react Longtime fans of the artist and critics alike had a lot to say. 'He actually dropped a song called that omg?😭😭😭,' asked one netizen on X. Another claimed, 'Australia is the only Western country I've seen stand on business about letting bigotry into their country!' One more comment said, 'Notice how no one even knew he released a song called that because no one is checking for Kanye in the big 2025.' Another read, 'Australia ate that, they need to do this in EVERY country!' Ye has faced mounting criticism in recent years for making inflammatory, antisemitic remarks, including publicly praising Hitler and denying the Holocaust — remarks that led to widespread condemnation and the loss of several brand partnerships. Whether the rapper will address the ban publicly remains to be seen. But for now, Australia has made its position clear: hate has no visa.
Man of Many
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
Kanye West Denied Entry to Australia, Here's Everything You Need to Know
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 3 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 2 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Kanye West has had his visa cancelled by officials due to his antisemitic song titled 'Heil Hitler,' which has been removed from streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. The rapper and fashion designer is married to architectural designer Bianca Censori, who was born in Australia and holds a bachelor's and master's degree in architecture from the University of Melbourne. The pair, which tied the knot under a confidential marriage license in December 2022, were likely visiting for a holiday. Speaking to ABC's Afternoon Briefing, Immigration Minister Tony Burke said the musician, who was not coming to Australia for advocacy purposes, would not be welcome after releasing the song. 'I'm not taking away the way the act operates, but even for the lowest level of visa, when my officials looked at it, they cancelled that following the announcement of that song,' he said. 'We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry.' Ye and Australian wife Biance Censori | Image: Supplied This is the first time that a low-level visa application like Ye's has been cancelled for these reasons, according to Burke. He said that typically, a 'stricter line' applies to those who want to visit Australia for the purposes of public advocacy, but that was not the intention of West. Still, his office saw enough reason to cancel the visa after the release of the antisemitic song 'Heil Hitler,' which was released on May 8, 2025, as the third single from his upcoming album, In a Perfect World. The rapper recently announced that he was 'done with antisemitism', releasing a song titled 'Hallelujah' on May 31 as an alternate version of 'Heil Hitler' that replaces its references to Nazism with lyrics relating to Christianity. 'He's made a lot of offensive comments that my officials looked at again once he released song,' Burke continued. 'He's got family here … It wasn't a visa for the purpose of concerts. It was a lower-level and the officials still looked at the law and said if you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia.' The rapper has recently announced concerts in Korea, Shanghai, and Slovakia for July 2025 and a one-night performance in Brazil in November 2025. His last performance was a Vultures Listening Experience in September last year at the Wuyuan River Sports Stadium in Haikou, China.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kanye West has Australian visa revoked after Heil Hitler song release
Kanye West's Australian visa has been cancelled by the federal government because the American rapper was promoting Nazism through the release of a song called Heil Hitler, Immigration Minister Tony Burke says. Speaking on ABC's Afternoon Briefing this week, Burke said that the rapper who now goes by the name of Ye 'no longer has a valid visa' because 'he's made a lot of offensive comments', specifically referencing a recent release titled Heil Hitler. Burke said West has been travelling to Australia 'for a long time', and that following his 2022 marriage to Australian designer Bianca Censori, he now has family in the country. 'It wasn't a visa even for the purpose of the concerts; it was a lower level. And the officials still looked at the law and said, 'if you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia,'' Burke said. 'I think that what's not sustainable is to import hatred. Like, you know, 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.' What power does the government have to cancel visas? The Minister for Immigration has various powers to refuse or cancel the visa of any visitor to Australia, and their family, including if the person fails a 'character test' and the refusal is deemed in the national interest. The test states that if the minister believes an individual is at risk of vilifying or inciting discord among a segment of the community they may cancel or refuse a visa. Having a criminal record, association with criminal groups, suspicions of human trafficking and crimes against humanity are also considered in the character test. Who else has had their visa cancelled?
The Age
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Kanye West has Australian visa revoked after Heil Hitler song release
Kanye West's Australian visa has been cancelled by the federal government because the American rapper was promoting Nazism through the release of a song called Heil Hitler, Immigration Minister Tony Burke says. Speaking on ABC's Afternoon Briefing this week, Burke said that the rapper who now goes by Ye 'no longer has a valid visa' because 'he's made a lot of offensive comments', specifically referencing a recent release titled Heil Hitler. Burke said West has been travelling to Australia 'for a long time', and that following his 2022 marriage to Australian designer Bianca Censori, he now has family in the country. 'It wasn't a visa even for the purpose of the concerts; it was a lower level. And the officials still looked at the law and said, 'if you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia,'' Burke said. 'I think that what's not sustainable is to import hatred. Like, you know, 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.' What power does the government have to cancel visas? The Minister for Immigration has various powers to refuse or cancel the visa of any visitor to Australia, and their family, including if the person fails a 'character test' and the refusal is deemed in the national interest. The test states that if the minister believes an individual is at risk of vilifying or inciting discord among a segment of the community they may cancel or refuse a visa. Having a criminal record, association with criminal groups, suspicions of human trafficking and crimes against humanity are also considered in the character test. Who else has had their visa cancelled?
