An alleged Sydney gangster, Masood Zakaria, is seeking to have his murder charges thrown out in the NSW Supreme Court. He claims he was illegally deported from Türkiye. The Australian Federal Police paid Hart International, a security firm, to bring him back in 2023, and the AFP says its actions were lawful. Zakaria's lawyers have compared the operation to a kidnapping. In court this week, a prosecutor conceded he was illegally deported, a key point in his defence. Senior AFP figures are yet to give evidence.
New Zealand church leader Brian Tamaki says Australian Border Force detained him on arrival in Brisbane and questioned him for 12 hours. Authorities cancelled his visa, held him at an immigration detention centre and deported him the next day. Border Force documents cited his social media statements and risk to the community. Tamaki faces three charges of alleged racial disharmony in New Zealand, which he says prompted the decision. He has asked whether New Zealand authorities shared information with Australia and says he will speak at a free speech rally in Auckland on October 31.
A Tongan man deported from Australia has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for establishing a Comancheros outlaw motorcycle gang chapter in Tonga. Eneasi Taumoefolau was found guilty last month of participating in an organised criminal group. The sentencing judge said his conduct was a structural assault on Tongan society. Taumoefolau has protested his innocence and indicated he will appeal. The sentence will be served concurrently with a life sentence he is already serving for drug importation.
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Prosecutors defending an alleged Sydney gangster against a bid to have his murder charges dismissed have admitted he was illegally deported to Australia in 2023. The admission came four days into Masood Zakaria's challenge in the NSW Supreme Court. Mr Zakaria is charged over the 2021 murders of Salim and Toufik Hamze. The case centres on whether his return from Istanbul was lawful, after the Australian Federal Police paid $1.1 million to two companies to secure it. Senior police and AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett are expected to give evidence.
Taiwan has deported a Chinese exchange student after he posted a video that appeared to pinch the Taiwanese president. Wang filmed President Lai Ching-te at National Taiwan University using forced perspective, then posted it on Douyin with political captions. Taiwan's National Immigration Agency said his entry permit was revoked for violating the principle of equality and dignity, and he is banned from entering for five years. Wang has deleted the video and apologised. A Kuomintang politician questioned whether the decision infringed free speech.
Masood Zakaria, who faces charges over the 2021 killings of Salim and Toufik Hamze, is contesting the lawfulness of his removal from Türkiye to Australia. His lawyers allege he had requested being sent to Iraq, and that the Australian Federal Police paid $1.1 million to a private security company to bring him home. Mr Zakaria's counsel says he was effectively abducted and that the payment raises questions about secrecy. The AFP maintains its conduct was lawful. A Supreme Court hearing before Justice Edward Muston is underway, with testimony from senior law enforcement figures expected.
A former SAS officer involved in the contested return of accused Sydney gangster Masood Zakaria cannot be contacted, days before he is due to give evidence in court. Zakaria's lawyers claim Nathan Heckel is a key witness in their bid to have murder charges dismissed. Zakaria's lawyers argue he was kidnapped after Turkish deportation, and are seeking a permanent stay of the charges. Documents show the Australian Federal Police paid Hart International more than $1 million for the escort. Senior police leaders are expected to be called as witnesses when the case begins this week.
A violent altercation involving Australian tourists outside a Bali nightclub has prompted authorities to issue stern warnings to visitors. The brawl, which began inside Motel Mexicola in North Kuta, escalated when two groups were ejected and subsequently clashed outside. Police are investigating the incident, which reportedly involved excessive alcohol consumption. Authorities have cautioned foreign nationals, particularly Australians, to adhere to local laws or face potential deportation. The footage has sparked outrage among locals and social media users, with some calling for stricter measures against Australian tourists.
The coalition plans to cut net overseas migration from nearly 300,000 to 100,000 in its first year if elected. Opposition leader Angus Taylor said the reduction would be the largest in Australia's history, though still higher than One Nation's target. The coalition also aims to deport tens of thousands of unlawful non-citizens and require most visa applications to be made offshore. Temporary visa holders would be reduced by 650,000 over four years, and student visas would decrease from 528,000 to 456,000.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has outlined a plan to reduce net overseas migration to 100,000 for two years, with the Coalition vowing to track down and deport visa overstayers. Taylor rejected comparisons to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stating existing agencies would handle the task. The policy aims to reduce student visas and prioritise migrants with the 'right skills and values', citing the Bondi attack as a reason to raise standards. Taylor dismissed suggestions the Coalition was following One Nation's lead on migration.
