Conservative US commentator Candace Owens denied NZ visa

Controversial media personality Candace Owens on the set of "Candace" , 13 September, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: AFP/ Getty Images - Jason Davies

Conservative American commentator Candace Owens has been denied a visa to enter New Zealand.

Immigration New Zealand acting deputy chief operating officer Jock Gilray said Owens had applied for an Entertainers Work Visa.

That application was denied.

"Under section 15(1)(f) of the Immigration Act, an individual may not be granted a visa to come to New Zealand if they have been excluded from another country," he said.

In October, the controversial speaker was denied entry to Australia.

Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke said at the time Owens has the capacity to widely incite discord.

"Australia's national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else.

"From downplaying the impact of the Holocaust with comments about [Nazi physician Josef] Mengele through to claims that Muslims started slavery, Candace Owens has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction," Burke told the ABC.

Free Speech Union chief executive Jonathan Ayling said they had written to Immigration Minister Chris Penk and was preparing to take legal action over the decision.

"We do not believe Immigration New Zealand is applying an accurate interpretation of 'exclusion'.

"The de facto exclusion applies most frequently to individuals who are deported or removed from another country. It is not the same thing, to be refused entry as to be excluded, and Immigration New Zealand should know this."

The "mature way" to deal with opinions that "that some find controversial, distasteful, or even dangerous" was to rebute them, he said.

- RNZ / wires

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