Organisers of the Ecosocialism 2026 conference are calling on immigration minister Tony Burke to use his ministerial discretion to reverse a denial of visa to Kirisna Veni Singham, a representative of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), so she can attend the September 11–13 conference at the Albion Peace Centre in Magan-djin/Brisbane.
There will be six international guests from five countries attending this conference, which takes place in the lead up to the COP31 global climate summit being co-hosted by Turkiye and Australia in early November.
PSM chairperson Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, a widely-respected former member of the Malaysian Parliament, told Green Left that he had written to the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia expressing his serious concerns about the denial of a visa to Kirisna Veni on the basis that the immigration department was “not satisfied the applicant’s personal circumstances are such that they have sufficient incentive to return to their country of residence at the end of any stay in Australia”.
"I told the High Commissioner that the PSM has been sending representatives to the Socialist Alliance (SA) national conference and Ecosocialism conference every year for the past several years, and usually the PSM member is given the required tourist visa.
"However, Kirisna Veni’s application was rejected three times in a row.
“Once before, in September 2022, when PSM member Parameswari Elumalai’s application for a social visit pass to attend the SA conference was similarly rejected. Parameswary is a young Tamil woman, as is Kirisna Veni. So I asked the High Commissioner: Could there be negative ethnic/gender profiling in the Australian tourist visa application process? Is the process handled with AI tools?
"I assured the High Commissioner Kirisna Veni fully intends to return to Malaysia after the Ecosocialism 2026 conference. Her family is here, and she has a job here.
“I even offered to post a personal bond.”
Jonathan Strauss, from the Ecosocialism 2026 organising committee, told GL that the reason given for the visa refusal was not supported by facts.
“The documentation Ms Singham provided with her latest application shows that she has been continuously employed full-time, since 2018 with her current employer. She has family connections in Malaysia and owns a home there.
“But more than this, she is thoroughly integrated into political and social life in Malaysia, in support of a political party that requires her continuing presence there. All PSM representatives to previous Ecosocialism conferences have returned home and there can be no doubt Ms Singham, as a PSM representative, also intends to return to Malaysia.”
Strauss added that the Labor government had a moral and political duty to resist the pressure from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party and other anti-immigration groups.
“Democratic values and a better understanding of the world today, will be enhanced by Kirisna Veni’s participation in this conference,” he said.
Letters of support for Singham’s visa application were sent to the minister by Greens leader Senator Larissa Waters and Greens Senator David Shoebridge.
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