PM, Dutton team up against Greens
Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese have come together, attacking the Greens over social cohesion and pro-Palestine protests, accusing the party of exploiting the unfolding conflict in Gaza.
In a fiery question time on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said vandalism of MPs’ offices achieved nothing for pro-Palestine demonstrators, as dozens of electorate offices have been damaged in past weeks.
Mr Albanese said Greens senators and MPs were “consciously and deliberately” spreading misinformation about the conflict in Gaza.
It was “unacceptable that misinformation is being consciously and deliberately spread by some Greens senators and MPs, who have engaged in this in demonstrations outside offices and online”, the Prime Minister said.
“That includes knowingly misrepresenting motions that are moved in this parliament,” he said.
“Enough is enough,” the Prime Minister said.
“All of us have a responsibility to prevent conflict in the Middle East from being used as a platform for prejudice here at home.
“There is no place or anti-Semitism, prejudice of any sort, Islamophobia, in our communities, at our universities or outside of electoral offices.
“Our staff do work to provide assistance to people dealing with Medicare, social security, migration and other issues.
“They deserve respect. Not abuse, not assault, not attacks on the office that cost taxpayers money.”
Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, backed the Prime Minister’s position, bagging the Greens’ pro-Palestinian position.
“We’re seeing now the offices of elected members of parliament being targeted with red paint, with vile messages of hate and discrimination and anti-Semitism, and it should be condemned,” Mr Dutton said.
“And the Greens should condemn it instead of condoning it.”
The Opposition Leader declared “bipartisan position in the chamber”, saying “we speak with one voice when we condemn acts of violence”.
“After October 7, when 1200 people were slaughtered by a terrorist organisation, to this day, people are still held in a tunnel network, women and children are still held by the terrorist organisation,” Mr Dutton said.
“But as we know, the Greens political party didn’t wait for advice or evidence or a security briefing; they were out there condemning the Israelis immediately and without hesitation.”
Greens leader Adam Bandt hit back: “Children are dying because the Israeli army has engineered a famine and instead of talking about the victims, the Prime Minister wants to make it about himself”.
“I will not be lectured to about peace and nonviolence by people who back the invasion of Gaza.”
Mr Bandt moved a motion calling for Australia to end all direct and indirect trade of military equipment with Israel, accusing the government of “complicity in the unfolding genocide”.
But the motion was comprehensively rejected.
Across Melbourne last week Labor MPs’ electorate offices were smeared with red paint and pro-Palestine messages.
The Prime Minister’s electorate office has been out of use since January because of safety concerns posed by continuous protests.
On Monday, Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s office in southwestern Sydney was doused in red graffiti with the word “murderer” written across the windows.
On Thursday, Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten said people had a right to protest but criticised a minority of Greens MPs inciting “aggressive” behaviour, including staff in electorate office being “jostled” and protesters breaking windows.
“The reality is Greens members have attended aggressive demonstrations outside of MPs offices. People have got a right to feel incredibly strongly about the tragedy in Gaza. People have got a right to talk about anti-Semitism [..] but this is just diabolical, dreadful,” he told ABC on Thursday.
“The sooner that Israel can get out of Gaza is the best for everyone. In get that. But what we’re seeing though, it’s only a minority. Do I think every Greens member does that? No.”
