Home Affairs Minister all but rules out last-minute visa for Djokovic

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has all but ruled out using ministerial powers to grant a last-minute visa for Novak Djokovic.
It comes after the tennis star had his visa cancelled, following a prolonged stand off with airport authorities who claimed he failed to provide appropriate evidence supporting his visa application.
“Let me very clear on what actions I will take, and that is always to uphold government policy,” the Minister said on 6PR Mornings.
“And it is very clear what the entry requirements here.”
Ms Andrews also reaffirmed Novak Djokovic did not meet the entry requirements of his visa and that’s why he’s been denied entry into Australia.
“That visa was issued, and it then means that, in the case of Mr Djokovic, or any other individual, that they then need to meet the entry requirements to come in,” the Minister said on 6PR Mornings.
“So it’s not a case of you get a visa and you’re straight in, you get a visa as a step of process of entering Australia.”
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However, Political analyst Martin Drum said there are still many questions that have been left unanswered.
“We know from Tennis Australia that a number of people have applied for medical exemptions to play, and we can safely presume I’d imagine that some of them are overseas based,” he said.
“So does this mean that other overseas based players will be treated exactly the same.
“And there’s that second issue … is the minister does have a reasonable amount of discretion … the minister could have intervened and didn’t.”
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