Fraser Anning draws fire with ‘out of step’ maiden speech

A QUEENSLAND senator has drawn condemnation with his maiden speech to Parliament, in which he proposed a “final solution” to Muslim immigration.

QUEENSLAND senator Fraser Anning has used his maiden speech to Federal Parliament to all but call for a return to the White Australia policy and a ban on Muslim migration.

His comments were strongly criticised as "terribly sad" and "out of step" with the views of most Queenslanders by senator Murray Watt, while Senator Penny Wong said the policy had been "rightly consigned to the dustbin of history".

Islamic Council of Queensland spokesman Ali Kadri said it was sad the Parliament was being used to spread xenophobic views, but that Senator Anning "is not a true representative of all Australians".

Senator Anning, who received just 19 primary votes in the 2016 election, was appointed to the Senate to replace One Nation's Malcolm Roberts, but quit the party within an hour of swearing in. He is now a member of Katter’s Australian Party.

In his official first speech he praised the pre-1970s immigration policy which "actively discriminated in favour of Europeans".

He accused the Whitlam government of using "Soviet-inspired UN treaties" to end the policy which discriminated on immigration based on race and called for immigration to Australia to be significantly reduced.

"We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who are allowed to come here predominantly reflect the historic European Christian composition of Australian society and embrace our language, culture and society as a people," Senator Anning said.

Senator Fraser Anning delivers his maiden speech. Picture: Kym Smith

"The final solution to the immigration problem, of course, is a popular vote,” Senator Anning said, attracting criticism for echoing the Nazis’ “final solution” to the “Jewish problem”.

"We need a plebiscite to allow the Australian people to decide whether we want wholesale non-English-speaking immigrants from the Third World, and particularly if they want any Muslims, or whether the want to return to the predominantly European immigration policy of the pre-Whitlam consensus.”

Senator Watt said Australia was the most successful multicultural nation in the world and migrants from all parts of the globe had made a massive contribution to Australia.

"It's terribly sad that in 2018 that any federal parliamentarian would harken back to the dark days of the White Australia policy," he said.

"Senator Anning's comments are out of step with the views of most Queenslanders."

Senator Wong said her parents married in the dying days of the White Australia policy.

"We’ve rightly consigned that policy to the dustbin of history," she said.

Mr Kadri said banning people on the basis of religion, colour, ethnicity or race, had led to horrors.

"The fact that some politicians still use such things is not only sad but scary," he said.

"Luckily Senator is not a true representative of all Australians and for all Australians, the real concern should be the big drought and the pains of our farming community.

"Our counterparts in sydney organised a prayer for our farmers and we shall do the same along with fundraising."

The abolition of the White Australia policy took place over 25 years with the last parts of it removed by the Whitlam Government in 1973.

Labor frontbencher Tony Burke Senator Anning’s speech needed to be called out.

“The bigotry of today is no different from the bigotry of yesterday,” he said.

“The words that happened in (the Senate) are not the words of proud Australian. They are the words of people who hate modern Australia, people who hate who we are as Australians.”

Mr Burke also criticised the government for not speaking out against Senator Anning’s speech.

“Our diversity is nothing to be afraid of, but the silence coming from those opposite is everything to fear.

“The bipartisanship against it we had in years gone by we don’t have right now and it must return.”

Senator Anning said he dismissed criticism of his use of the phrase “final solution” and said he had been taken out of context.

“Claims that the words meant anything other than the “ultimate solution” to any political question is always a popular vote are simply ridiculous,” he said.