Turning a blind eye to "gross and abhorrent" characters and accepting everyone in good faith exposes Australians to unknown dangers, a government MP says.
Liberal MP Dennis Jensen has used technical changes to visa-cancellation laws to declare his pride at being part of a government that is bold in its actions in relation to migration.
"If one comes into this country then one has to play by the rules as they stand," he told parliament on Tuesday.
The number of visas cancelled under the former Labor government was "pathetic", he said.
The technical bill, which passed the lower house on Tuesday, relates to laws that force the cancellation of a visa if a person has a serious criminal record or a sexual conviction against a child.
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It also makes technical amendments to laws that allow the immigration minister to cancel a visa if they believe it is in the national interest.
Government MP Craig Kelly pointed to recent brawls in Sydney and Melbourne - saying they largely involved ethnic-based gangs.
"A non-citizen with a substantial criminal record ... does not deserve the enormous privileges that come with living in this country," he told parliament.
"We want to make sure that the scenes that were seen in our capital cities of Melbourne and Sydney never happen."
Labor backed the changes, which the party described as technical.
