Australia’s highest court has dismissed U.S. political commentator Candace Owens’ attempt to overturn the government’s decision that barred her from entering the country, ruling that the visa refusal was lawful and justified.

Owens, known for her outspoken and often polarizing conservative views, had planned to embark on a speaking tour of Australia and New Zealand late last year. However, in 2024, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke blocked her visa application under the Migration Act’s “character test,” concluding that her presence could “incite discord” and threaten the nation’s social harmony.

Owens’ legal team argued that the ban violated Australia’s implied freedom of political communication, a constitutional principle that protects political expression but is far more limited than th

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