New Bill to Allow Australia to Pause Entry of Some Temporary Visa Holders During Crises

Members of the Iranian community in Australia react as police officers remove them from the path of a departing bus transporting members of the Iranian Women’s Asia Cup football team to the airport, outside the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, Australia on March 10, 2026. Patrick Hamilton/ AFP via Getty ImagesThe Albanese government has introduced legislation that will allow it to block travellers on temporary visas for six months during major events overseas that could leave them stranded in Australia.Assistant Minister for Citizenship Julian Hill, who introduced the Bill to Parliament on March 10, said the proposal was driven by the situation in the Middle East.