Labor MP Julian Hill has slammed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as “the most divisive and negative opposition leader in Australian history” after the Liberal leader called for protesters who displayed Hezbollah symbols to be arrested and deported.
Speaking on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing moments ago, Hill said he had no information that any protesters on Sunday who displayed Hezbollah flags or held portraits of Hassan Nasrallah – the slain leader of the Lebanese militia that Australia designated as a terrorist group in 2003 – were on visas.
Labor MP Julian Hill.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Yesterday, Dutton said it was “unacceptable that the government wouldn’t be arresting people already or cancelling visas of people who are glorifying Hezbollah” after the rally.
He then spoke directly of the protesters who held photos of Hezbollah’s slain leader, comparing the act to glorifying Adolf Hitler or Osama bin Laden.
Hill, the assistant minister for multicultural affairs, said Dutton had a history of “20 years, frankly, of race-baiting politics”.
Specifically, Hill said shortly before 4.30pm:
At every turn, Peter Dutton is obsessed with the Middle East, not middle Australia.
On any day – on every day – that he can pour petrol on the fire and disrupt community harmony and profit from international conflicts, he seeks to do so.
He doesn’t want to talk about cost of living, doesn’t want to recall parliament to deal with the housing bill stuck in the Senate.
When we recalled parliament to deal with gas prices and electricity prices, he voted against it. But now, it’s always about the Middle East.
On the substance of the matter, Minister Tony Burke, who is the cabinet minister who I work to, he has made it very clear that if Peter Dutton or anyone has evidence of people on visas inciting discord or breaking the law, then we’ll consider cancelling those visas. We couldn’t be clearer. If people have that evidence, they should present it to us.
Hill also criticised the Greens, claiming they added to social division by “spreading disinformation and misinformation”.
“Australia is not selling weapons or ammunition to Israel, yet they keep repeating the lie,” he said.
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