Shadow Foreign Minister States Hamas Will Be Pleased With Australia’s Ongoing Gaza Discussion
Expressing national security concerns, opposition leader Peter Dutton raised issues over Australia accepting Gazan refugees who may have ties to Hamas, sparking a national debate.
Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham remarked that recent parliamentary debates on Gazan refugees may have left Hamas pleased.
Following criticism of Dutton as “racist” by Independent MP Zali Steggall, after expressing apprehensions over Gazans coming to Australia, Birmingham supported Dutton’s stance, emphasizing the importance of security checks in averting terrorism risks.
Birmingham emphasized the need for stringent security screenings and expressed worries over inadequate vetting procedures in place, criticizing the expedited processing of Gaza refugees without thorough background checks.
Albanese highlighted that the processing system in place was the same as during the previous government and defended the security assessments carried out by the ASIO director-general.
Lastly, Birmingham defended Dutton’s right to seek legal recourse following accusations of racism and emphasized the importance of upholding legal standards for all Australians.