'Racist bigot': Immigration minister slammed after linking refugees to terror suspects
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has caused a stir in parliament after saying that allowing Lebanese-Muslim refugees into Australia was a "mistake".
Mr Dutton was pressed in parliament over earlier comments he made regarding Lebanese immigration, however he did not back down, instead causing an even bigger frenzy with his clarification.
"The advice I have is that out of the last 33 people who have been charged with terrorist-related offences in this country, 22 of those people are from second and third generation Lebanese-Muslim background," Mr Dutton told the House of Representatives on Monday.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young lashed out during Senate question time, labelling Mr Dutton a "racist bigot" before begrudgingly withdrawing the "unparliamentary" comment.
Opposition counter-terror expert Anne Aly slammed Mr Dutton in an emotionally charged question time at Parliament. Source: AAP
"I stand by it. I think Peter Dutton is a racist bigot," she said.
"It is my opinion. I will withdraw it for the sake of the chamber but honestly, I believe it."
However his leader, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, insisted the immigration minister was right to point out there are lessons to be learned from past government policies.
"If you talk to people ... of very long experience in this area, you'll understand that the move to a more skills-based migration program was based on the conclusion that previous policies had not been as effective as they could be," Mr Turnbull said.
He described Mr Dutton as a "thoughtful, committed and compassionate immigration minister".
The Prime Minister stood by his besieged immigration minister. Source: AAP
Labor leader Bill Shorten did not agree with his opponent's evaluation of the besieged Mr Dutton.
"In the Labor party, we don't call people second- and third-generation migrants. We call them Australians," he said.
Mr Shorten later in question time challenged Mr Turnbull to directly back his minister's comments about terrorism, but the prime minister countered with criticism of past Labor governments.
"The greatest mistake in immigration ... was by those opposite," Mr Turnbull said, citing 50,000 unauthorised arrivals and 1,200 deaths at sea.
Former treasurer Wayne Swan wrote on Twitter: "Turnbull will say and do anything to stay PM, including playing the race card."
Nationals MP George Christensen wrote on his Facebook page a review of the Lebanese intake had found "concerns about health and character requirements, personal qualities and the migrants' ability to integrate".
George Christensen is known for his hardline stance on immigration. Source: AAP
He noted the families moved to "the same southwest Sydney enclave".
"The dysfunction that Fraser's open slather immigration policy caused is still being felt today. Many of the second and third generation of these migrants have been locked in a monocultural enclave that breeds extremism," Mr Christensen wrote.
Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen, whose western Sydney seat has a large migrant population, said the minister's comments had brought the debate to a new low.
"I've had many people contact me to say 'Well, I don't think my parents or grandparents coming here was a mistake because I've gone on and contributed to this country. I've worked hard, I've started a small business, my children are at university, my children are doctors'," he told ABC radio.
