Australia to deport Britain’s Katie Hopkins after quarantine violation

CANBERRA, July 19 (Reuters) – Australia will expel controversial British commentator Katie Hopkins after admitting to breaking the country’s quarantine rules, Australia’s Home Secretary said on Monday.

Hopkins flew to Sydney to appear on Seven Network Ltd’s Big Brother VIP reality show (SWM.AX), according to Australian media, but sparked public outrage when she posted a video on Instagram joking about answering the door naked and without a mask to people delivering meals while she was in hotel quarantine.

All arrivals to Australia must spend two weeks in a hotel quarantine, where people must put on a mask before meals are delivered, then wait 30 seconds to collect the food to avoid transmission.

Hopkins’ video – which was later deleted – sparked public anger as Australia for months limited the number of citizens it allows in the country, meaning thousands still cannot not come back. Foreign nationals are not allowed to enter Australia, except special dispensation.

Amid mounting criticism, Australian Home Secretary Karen Andrews ordered a review of the decision to grant Hopkins a visa and said on Monday the government had decided to expel the commentator.

“All visa holders must follow the health instructions issued by our health officials. We will not tolerate those who do not,” Andrews told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“We’ll get her out of the country as soon as we can sort this out.”

The saga is the latest chapter in Hopkins’ controversial career that has seen her provoke outrage with inflammatory anti-immigrant comments, even drawing criticism from the UN chief of human rights. Hopkins was forced to quit several UK media outlets in 2017 amid public backlash, and recently took to Instagram to question the severity of the pandemic and the scale of the government’s responses.

Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Daniel Wallis

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