"Is it really necessary to ask immigrants “under which circumstances is it permissible to cut female genitals” to convey the unacceptability of excision, which is already illegal?"

What's wrong with that? 99% of Australians would not want such practices to even see the light of day in their country. Mr. Yakabuski, FGM has happened in Ontario. It is a barbaric cultural practice whichever way you spin it. Abortion of female fetuses has happened in BC. When sober, most pro-choice liberals would consider that an abhorrent practice. It is a tragedy that these practices even happened once in Canada. They could have been prevented by "screening" out such immigrants, who probably have little chance of integrating into mainstream liberal Canada. 

Australia is a smarter country and is using its common sense. Because Australians don't want to see FGM or female feticide happen in their country, they try to screen out those bad cultural seeds.

And BTW, these practices are B-A-R-B-A-R-I-C.