A fiery racism row erupted in Parliament after independent MP Zali Steggall told Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to “stop being racist” and dividing the country by accusing Labor of making the country less safe by admitting migrants from Gaza. Source: The Age.
Mr Dutton dismissed Ms Steggall as a “Green with extreme views”, but hours later he was hammered in question time by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who gave his strongest rebuke yet of Mr Dutton by accusing him of “20 years of form” in making divisive remarks about Lebanese and African migrants to Australia.
Mr Dutton has faced a backlash over his call on Wednesday to reject Palestinians fleeing war-torn Gaza as potential threats to national security.
Yesterday morning, Coalition Home Affairs spokesman James Paterson clarified that the Opposition was calling for a temporary pause on visa applications from Gaza until it was satisfied there could be proper security checks.
The Government has granted 2922 visas to Palestinians fleeing Gaza since October 7, and 1300 of those people have arrived in Australia. Government sources said there were no current arrivals as borders to Gaza were closed.
Mr Dutton yesterday claimed the issuing of visas from a war zone was “an egregious breach of what is in our country’s best interests”.
“This is not against people of a particular religious belief. This is not against people of a particular political persuasion. This is about keeping our country safe, and Anthony Albanese has failed the Australian public,” he said in Parliament, after bringing a motion to discuss the issue.
Ms Steggall rose afterwards to say Mr Dutton’s commentary was “extremely concerning” and whipped up fear.
“These are families that you are seeking to paint that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted and they are not worthy of humanitarian aid,” Mr Steggall said.
As Dutton interjected, she yelled out: “Stop being racist.”
Dutton called for Steggall to withdraw the “offensive and unparliamentary remark”, which she did.
FULL STORY
‘Stop being racist’: Row erupts in parliament over Dutton’s stance on Gaza visas (By Natassia Chrysanthos, The Age)
