(The Age, 20/8/2024)
Sadly the evil that is Netanyahu and his Government has now infected Dutton and his party – God will judge us all and s/he has a lot to do when s/he reviews these men and their actions – Mark
Advocates for new arrivals from Gaza fear divisive politics will derail Labor’s plans to grant Palestinians a pathway to permanent residency in Australia, as parliament was again consumed by a rancorous debate over visas for those fleeing the war.
Labor sharpened its attack on Peter Dutton over his call to stop people arriving from Gaza, accusing the opposition leader of compromising national security by disclosing sensitive information for political gain during his time as home affairs minister.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Monday called Dutton “the most divisive opposition leader that we have seen, and that should disqualify him from the prime ministership” while claiming the Coalition was pursuing culture wars to distract from its lack of economic policies.
But as the federal government tries to wrest the debate from Dutton, it has gone silent on its plans for a new visa pathway for the 1300 Palestinians who have arrived in Australia since the war began but are stuck on visitor visas that give them no rights to work or access social security.
“The government has had eight or nine months to review its options,” said Rasha Abbas, the executive director of Palestine Australia Relief and Action, which has been lobbying Labor to give Palestinians the same rights as those afforded to people who fled the Ukraine war.
“These are anxious people, and all this delay and rhetoric, every day they read it, it adds to their trauma and worry. We shouldn’t be playing politics with a cohort that has come here to be with their families. I hope there is a resolution as soon as possible.”
Dutton on Monday again called on Labor to outline ASIO’s criteria for security assessments and explain which Palestinians had been subject to them, in a continued political offensive that has sought to paint Labor as weak in its vetting of refugees from Gaza.
“[Former immigration minister Andrew Giles] has decided to bring people in from a war zone, which is controlled by a listed terrorist organisation, on tourist visas,” Dutton said.
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