Lovely to hear both sides of Parliament condemn Fraser Anning’s repugnant speech today. It’s been a change from the rhetoric we’re use to hearing from Parliament in recent times.
We’ve heard George Christensen constantly attack Muslim immigrants calling for them to be banned. He’s also spoken to the far right-wing Q Society and appeared on a Neo-Nazi podcast.
We’ve heard the Minister for citizenship, Alan Tudge, calling for all immigrants to be tested on Australian values, whatever they’re supposed to be. He’s also accused immigrants from non-English speaking backgrounds of not “blending in”.
We’ve heard Peter Dutton call Lebanese immigration to Australia a mistake. He’s accused refugees of being illiterate and of simultaneously stealing jobs and being unemployed. He’s stirred up hatred against Sudanese migrants and urged Australians to be vigilant against compassion.
We’ve heard Tony Abbott ramping up his racist rhetoric to a pitch that makes Pauline Hanson sound demure. As if it’s the only way he knows how to make himself feel relevant.
And all this time we’ve heard Malcolm Turnbull condone these comments at every turn. We’ve seen the Turnbull government cosy up to One Nation and any other nutjob Senator who’ll vote with them. We’ve seen Turnbull and his ministers reach for the dog whistle EVERY SINGLE TIME they’re in trouble.
Until Australian governments are prepared to defend multiculturalism and condemn racism in all forms, until they are prepared to put away the dog whistle and abandon the scapegoating of immigrants, then the hatred that inspired Anning to invoke the Final Solution in his maiden speech will continue to fester.
The fish rots from the head, and today you can smell the stench of it all over the nation.