Australia lawmaker calls opposition leader racist over opposition to Gaza refugees
The leader of Australia’s main opposition party was told to “stop being racist” by another parliamentarian during a heated discussion on Thursday in which he said that Australia should not take in any refugees from Gaza.
Independent parliamentarian Zali Steggall made the remarks during a speech criticising centre-right Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton for his call this week to bar refugees from Gaza due to the risk they could be Hamas sympathisers.
Interrupted several times by shouts from the opposition benches, Steggall asked to be heard in silence before shouting “stop being racist” towards Dutton.
“These are families that you are seeking to paint that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted and they are not worthy of humanitarian aid,” she said before pausing as Dutton interjected.
“We heard you in silence, you can hear me in silence, stop being racist,” she then said.