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US anti-abortion activist drops case

US anti-abortionist activist Troy Neman will not pursue a legal challenge in the High Court over his revoked visa due to lack of funds

Troy Newman, head of the Kansas-based Operation Rescue
US anti-abortion activist Troy Newman has decided not to go ahead with a High Court challenge. Source: AAP

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Source: AAP


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A controversial US anti-abortion campaigner will not challenge Australia's decision to cancel his visa because it is too expensive.

Troy Newman, the head of anti-abortion organisation Operation Rescue, was due to speak at a national tour during October organised by pro-life group Right to Life Australia.

However, he was denied entry after landing in Melbourne, and then deported, after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton decided to revoke his visa out of concern his speeches could incite community harm.

Right to Life Australia on Friday said it was "inherently unfair", but legal action against the Commonwealth was being dropped.

"Due to the expense involved in continuing to litigate a High Court action, Mr Newman is not pursuing the proceedings issued in the High Court on 1 October, 2015," the group said in a statement.

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The group said Mr Newman was being punished for Department of Immigration "incompetence", claiming the department emailed the wrong man with information about Mr Newman's visa status.

As a result, Mr Newman allegedly did not get the news of his visa cancellation before boarding a plane to Australia, the group said.

However, Mr Newman knew his visa was an issue, as he posted a video online of him arguing with airline staff when they told him he couldn't board a plane in the US due to his cancelled visa.

In a previous Facebook post, Mr Newman said the revocation of his visa was "based on a pile of lies, including the idea that I promote violence".

The anti-abortion activist has previously made headlines for questioning why doctors who perform abortions aren't executed, and why men and women who ask for terminations are not charged with murder.


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