May 27, 2024
SHARRI MARKSON: All right. Let's bring in now Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson. I mean, James, look, all these protesters and others claim that, you know, this is about Israel. This isn't about being Jewish, that they're not anti-Semitic. Well, graffiti like that, 'jew die', just shows what a mockery their claims are. And I strongly believe that right now, if you are denying Israel's right to exist, that anti-Zionism is indistinguishable from anti-Semitism, what do you think?
JAMES PATERSON: Of course. That's exactly right Sharri, scratch the surface on almost every vehement anti-Zionist, and you will find an anti-Semite. If they're smart enough, they couch the language in terms of Zionism and the state of Israel. But it doesn't take much before you get to what's really underlying all of it. And that is a hatred of Jewish people and racism towards the Jewish community. I agree with what the Deputy Prime Minister said today, but I think we would all be forgiven for wondering whether Richard Miles has been in an induced coma for the last six months, and he's only just woken up and realised what's going on. Because it shouldn't have taken what has happened at Mount Scopus for him to realise how serious the anti-Semitism crisis has been in our country for more than six months now, since the 7th of October. It's abundantly clear what's happening and where has been the action to complement the serious words that we've now hearing out of the Deputy Prime Minister and some others?
MARKSON: Well, next week it will be eight months actually. You know, it's eight months that we've seen this extreme anti-Semitism. And as I've said repeatedly, the strong daily anti-Israel rhetoric that we see from this government, where they wrongly accuse Israel of targeting civilians, of not acting in accordance with humanitarian law when they call for an immediate humanitarian cease fire because they think, they claim, again wrongly, that Israel is targeting civilians. Well, all of this sends the message to people on the street, to Australians that, you know, Israel isn't behaving properly, isn't behaving in accordance with international law. And this is part of what's driving the anti-Semitism. So doesn't the government have to take some responsibility for the levels of anti-Semitism that we're seeing?
PATERSON: Of course they do Sharri. That's exactly what they should do. But the Prime Minister right now can't even control his own caucus when it comes to these questions. He's had Senator Fatima Payman out there the previous week endorsing a phrase which the Prime Minister has said is a very violent statement, which has no place in Australia. And again today, she is tweeting that we should end all trade and economic relations with Israel and we should unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. I mean, what she knows is there are no consequences for defying a weak Prime Minister. And if the Prime Minister can't even control his own caucus, what hope does he have defending the Jewish community against these unprecedented levels of anti-Semitism?
MARKSON: And look, he's barely lifted a finger to even try to defend the Jewish community, in my opinion. Now, Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, well, his order apparently to go soft on foreign born criminals who have ties to Australia has continued to haunt him. The Australian today reporting that thanks to the immigration minister's Direction 99, a child rapist was allowed to stay in the country. Now, James, this New Zealand born man reportedly raped his 14 year old stepdaughter while his wife was giving birth to his child in hospital. Surely Andrew Giles has to resign for this. How does it get worse than this?
PATERSON: Every Minister would hope that they would have a Prime Minister who was as tolerant of incompetence and weakness as Anthony Albanese is. But surely even Anthony Albanese has his limits. Surely allowing a paedophile to stay in this country who should otherwise been deported is a bridge too far, even for Anthony Albanese. But that is exactly the effect of Andrew Giles' direction to his department, because under Andrew Giles and under this direction he issued in January 2023, he told his department, and therefore also the AAT and other bodies that consider their decisions, that as a primary consideration, they must evaluate the connection of this person to Australia. And if they have a connection to Australia, regardless of the level of their offending, they must be allowed to stay in Australia. And there's now been not just one case like this, but dozens of cases like this. Andrew Giles should be sacked and tomorrow direction 99 which he issued should be repealed and replaced with what the Coalition had in power, which is if you're a non-citizen and you commit a crime, you'll be deported. No ifs, no buts.
MARKSON: Look, this is a major issue, and it's unbelievable how many lives Andrew Giles has. And I think Anthony Albanese boasts about the fact that he hasn't lost a Minister in his first term as Prime Minister. But it is nothing to boast about because when you see this much incompetence and it has affected public safety, we have seen people who've been allegedly bashed, assaulted, injured by some of these released detainees, then this is affecting public safety decisions directly made by his government. He's got to go. It's a sign of weakness that he won't sack him. Not something to boast about.
PATERSON: That's right. And I bet the family of the young man who was allegedly murdered by someone who was allowed to stay in Australia after they breached the character provisions of the Migration Act, doesn't take much comfort from the fact that the Prime Minister hasn't lost a Minister. In fact, I don't think they care at all. I don't think most Australians care at all. It's a bizarre boast when your ministers are failing to protect the community, which is the sacred and first duty of every Australian government.
MARKSON: Indeed. James Paterson, thank you very much for your time tonight.
ENDS
