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We, the undersigned, call on the Australian Government and the Minister for Home Affairs to deny entry to convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde ahead of the Volleyball World Championships.

Background
Steven van de Velde, a Dutch volleyball player, was convicted of the rape of a 12-year-old girl and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment in the United Kingdom in 2016. Allowing an individual convicted of such a heinous child sexual offence to enter Australia not only undermines our nation’s commitment to protecting children and survivors of sexual violence, it sends a devastating message to victim-survivors across the country.

Legal Grounds
Under Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), a person does not pass the character test if they have been convicted of a serious offence or have a substantial criminal record. A conviction for child rape clearly constitutes grounds for visa refusal or cancellation.

The Australian Government has a moral and legal responsibility to protect the Australian public, uphold the integrity of our migration system, and send a clear message that convicted child sex offenders are not welcome to represent their country or compete on Australian soil.

Our Demand
We call on the Minister for Home Affairs to:
Refuse any visa application made by Steven van de Velde under Section 501 of the Migration Act;
Ensure event organisers are aware of his criminal history; and
Publicly reaffirm Australia’s commitment to preventing entry by individuals convicted of sexual offences against children.

Sign this petition to demand immediate action.