Morrison moves on tougher visa powers

The federal government is widening its powers to cancel or refuse visas.

Immigration and Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday introduced a bill to parliament that he said would strengthen the government's ability to deal with unlawful, fraudulent or criminal behaviour by non-citizens.

Mr Morrison said the character test system hasn't changed significantly since 1999.

Since then the situation had changed dramatically, with streamlined processes and higher volumes of temporary visa holders for economic and other purposes.

The proposed changes strengthen and widen the powers to refuse or cancel a visa on character grounds.

The government will be able to act if there is a risk - as opposed to a significant risk - that a person would engage in a wide range of criminal conduct, according to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill.

Reasonable suspicion that a person is or has been associated with a group involved in criminal conduct will be sufficient to refuse a visa.

Such conduct includes people smuggling, genocide, war crimes, a crime involving torture or slavery "or a crime that is otherwise of serious international concern" even if there's been no actual conviction.

A person found guilty - even if no conviction was recorded - by an Australian or foreign court of a sexual offence involving a child will be out.

The measure also allows the minister to require state and territory governments to disclose personal information that may have a bearing on character.