Fears ‘disturbing’ bill will keep families apart

Melbourne lawyer Heather Dzviti gave birth to her first child 10 months ago but fears that Labor’s “disturbing” deportation laws will stop her parents coming from Zimbabwe to meet their first grandchild and says the laws are a big backward step for Australian multiculturalism.

Labor’s plan to rush through sweeping immigration powers was disrupted in the Senate on Wednesday, with the opposition, Greens, One Nation and other crossbenchers uniting to quash any hope of a rapid passage.