Last week in politics was a spectacle for all the wrong reasons.
As usual, instead of debating anything of merit, the Australian Parliament descended into a kindergarten of asinine name-calling.
Notably, everybody couldn’t wait to label everybody else “racist”.
Some examples:
Senator DAVID POCOCK (Australian Capital Territory) (18:10): I rise in support of this disallowance motion moved by Senator Shoebridge. Education is the ACT’s biggest export. It contributes $1 billion to our local economy annually, and international education was responsible for half of the national GDP growth in Australia last year.
Senator HANSON-YOUNG: I rise to contribute to this debate and associate myself with the comments made by my Greens colleagues here. You know there’s an election coming when the race baiting really starts heating up. You know there’s an election coming when the Leader of the Opposition, rather than focusing on what he will do to help relieve the cost-of-living pressures on everyday Australians, goes for the lazy option, the low option and the heartless option of attacking refugees.
Senator Nikc McKim: Mr Dutton’s comments this morning, deliberately used to inflame division, hatred and fear, are despicable, are racist and are unbecoming of anyone who wants to become this nation’s Prime Minister. But, of course, that’s all Mr Peter Dutton has.
On and on it went, from the Fake Left, as usual. More:
Teal independent Zali Steggall has doubled down on her claim that Peter Dutton is a racist, arguing that her comments were made for the sake of social cohesion.
Ms Steggall’s initial criticism of the opposition leader came after he moved a motion in the parliament last week demanding Labor explain the vetting process for Palestinian refugees fleeing war torn Gaza to come to Australia.
Asked on Monday if she regretted labelling Mr Dutton a racist, Ms Steggall said she did not, while also going further and arguing his concerns over the national security implications of arrivals from Gaza were a “true and tried dog whistle”.
I used to wonder why it was that Steve Bannon told everybody to wear the “racist” jibe with pride but now I know.
Australians are allowed to debate immigration. They are especially allowed to debate its composition in a time of war, not least as they witness the violent fragmentation underway in the UK and Israel.
They ought to be allowed to debate it without the automatic and autocratic recourse of the Fake Left libelling them every time the subject is opened.
My own view is that we are big enough to accept Gazan refugees. Australia does resettlement very well. The numbers should be proportionate to the nation’s size.
But for god’s sake stop labelling the drover’s dog “racist”.
