Australia’s High Court has upheld the Department of Immigration’s decision to deny a visa to anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman this afternoon. Newman could be deported as early as tomorrow. Read the ABC report, here. 

Anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman is still in Australia, after lodging an appeal with the High Court late on Thursday afternoon.

The SMH is reporting, “Counsel for the Commonwealth gave the undertaking not to immediately remove Mr Newman at a hearing in Melbourne before High Court justice Geoffrey Nettle on Thursday evening, at which counsel for Mr Newman sought to have the decision to bar him from Australia overturned.”

On Thursday afternoon Immigration Minister Peter Dutton agreed to not deport Newman for 24 hours.

Eternity understands the matter will be decided this afternoon.

This video, from ABC’s 7.30 program, explains more.

Thursday 1 October 2015

Anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman is reportedly being detained in Melbourne by Australian Border Force officials after boarding a flight to Australia despite having his visa cancelled yesterday.

While he was in flight, he posted a Facebook status, saying, “Through a chain of events the Lord has allowed me to get on a plane in spite of many objections by the airlines and Australia. We have been in the air 11 hours and will land in about 4. Please pray that we can get past immigration so the truth can be told throughout Australia.” His Facebook page is full of messages of support and prayer.

His flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne touched down this morning.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting a spokeswoman for the Immigration Minister Peter Dutton saying, “an injunction was lodged in the Federal Court seeking to restrain the federal government from preventing his entry.” The ABC and SMH report that the application has since been withdrawn.

Newman was initially informed of the decision to cancel his visa as he attempted to board a plane from Denver to Los Angeles yesterday, planning to then travel on to Melbourne to speak at the Right to Life Convention on Friday.

Another change.org petition launched Wednesday afternoon called for the government to reverse their decision and allow Newman to complete his Australian tour, saying, “it is clear that pro-abortion groups do not want anyone to hear the truth about Planned Parenthood’s illegal actions. Please show your support for human life, women’s health and free speech by calling on the Immigration Minister, Hon. Peter Dutton MP and the Minister for Women, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash to allow US pro-life speaker, Troy Newman, into Australia to complete his Australian tour.”

Wednesday 30 September 2015

Anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman had his visa cancelled by the Australian government today.

He was informed of the decision as he attempted to board a plane from Denver to Los Angeles, and then travel on to Melbourne to speak at the Right to Life Convention on Friday.

Newman is the president of US-based Operation Rescue, a pro-life Christian activist organisation, and he is personally connected to the recent series of undercover videos that show staff of Planned Parenthood appearing to engage in the illegal trade of foetal body parts.

Newman’s visit was only announced two days ago, on the Global Day of Action for Access to Abortion, but earlier this afternoon, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed that Newman’s visa had been cancelled. The decision followed a change.org petition with over 2,600 signatures and a letter writing campaign asking for the visa to be revoked.

The change.org petition said, “Troy Newman, a vocal opponent of women’s safe, legal access to abortion is planning to tour Australia at the beginning of October 2015. He is a danger both to women, to doctors who perform abortions and their staff.” It claims that “He has perpetuated outright lies about women’s health in order to turn public opinion not only against women’s reproductive autonomy, but against women’s health care in general.”

The petition also accuses Newman of being connected to alleged member of Operation Rescue, Scott Roeder, who in 2009 was convicted of murdering Dr George Tiller, one of only a handful of late term abortion providers in the US.

Terri Butler, federal Labor MP for Griffith, Queensland, wrote, “I am very concerned that his presence in Australia will incite some to harass and intimidate women accessing reproductive services and those professionals offering them at medical clinics. There is a real risk that Mr Newman’s conduct may cause discord within the community and disrupt the ability of women to access lawful reproductive medicine.”

In a Facebook post, Newman said, “the Australian government has revoked my visa in midflight. I was pulled off a plane in Denver and told I could not travel to Los Angeles. And then on to Melbourne Australia. It is clear that the pro-abortion crowd does not want anyone to hear the truth about Planned Parenthood’s illegal actions. Please pray for me – I’m stuck in Denver airport like a man without a country.”

Mary Dutton from Right to Life of Australia, the organisation who invited Newman and is sponsoring his speaking tour said, “We are all very upset, that this has happened and are working furiously to turn it around.”

Newman is currently on his way to Los Angeles, hoping that this “misunderstanding” can be sorted out in time for him to catch his original flight to Melbourne.