(The Australian, 15/8/2024)
Is it shameful that Dutton is trying to gain votes by persecuting innocent men, women and children – is there no depth this man will sink to (He makes Trump & Johnstone seem reasonable!) – Mark
Peter Dutton has escalated the domestic political contest over war in Gaza, calling for an outright ban on arrivals from the ¬conflict zone in a captain’s call branded as “racist” by Muslim groups.
The Opposition Leader announced the new position in a television interview without consulting the shadow cabinet, just a day after 79 Coalition MPs called for Hamas supporters be denied visas rather than all Gazans.
The move, condemned by Labor and the Greens, came as Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke scrambled to come up with a visa solution for more than 1300 Gazans already in Australia whose visitor permits are due to expire in coming weeks.
A leading pollster said Mr Dutton’s policy call would deepen the divide between the major parties in the eyes of Muslim voters, benefiting Labor in key western Sydney seats to be targeted by pro-Palestine independents.
Updated figures reveal nearly 3000 visas have been granted to Gazans since the October 7 attacks on Israel, but more than 7100 applications from Gaza residents have been rejected.
Mr Burke vowed there would be “no compromise on national security”, but confirmed that face-to-face interviews were unable to be conducted with visa applicants in Gaza while Israel’s war against Hamas continued.
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