Television personality Sonia Kruger calls for Australia to ban Muslims

TODAY Extra host Sonia Kruger has sparked controversy after calling for Australia to close its borders to Muslims in the wake of France’s most recent terror attack.

MEDIA personality Sonia Kruger has called for Australia to stop taking in Muslim migrants.

The Today showpanel was addressing a recent article by News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt, which attributed terror attacks in France to the country’s intake of Muslim migrants.

Ms Kruger, who hosts Today’s sister show Today Extra, said she had a lot of “peace-loving, beautiful Muslim friends”, but admitted she agreed with the controversial opinion piece.

“Personally, I would like to see it (Muslim migration) stop now for Australia,” she said.

She referred to Japan, a racially homogeneous country with a low proportion of Muslim migrants, and pointed out that they don't experience terror attacks by Islamic extremists.

Sonia Kruger speaking out this morning.

“I want to feel safe, as all of our citizens do when they go out to celebrate Australia Day, and I’d like to see freedom of speech.”

At this point, host David Campbell chimed in exclaiming: “I’d like to see freedom of religion as well, as well as freedom of speech! They both go hand in hand.”

Referring to the Bolt column, he said: “This breeds hate. This sort of article breeds hate.”

Ms Kruger responded: “I would venture that if you spoke to the parents of those children killed in Nice, they would be of the same opinion.”

When asked by Lisa Wilkinson to clarify whether she was saying she would like Australian borders closed to Muslims at this point, Ms Kruger outright said: “Yes I would. For the safety of our citizens here, I think it’s important.”

Here is the full segment:

Andrew Bolt believes Muslim migration in France has opened the door to terror. Thoughts? #9Today https://t.co/d1VIqB0PVv

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) July 17, 2016

This isn’t the first time Ms Kruger has made headlines for her ill-thought comments on air. In 2008, am embarrassed Seven Network apologised unreservedly for her distasteful comments to musical director Chong Lim on the television show Dancing With The Stars.

The network received numerous complaints after Kruger made the derogatory comments about a “sweatshop of illegal immigrants’’ slaving away on her wardrobe for the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“Let’s just say there’s a sweatshop full of illegal immigrants working on them right now,’’ Kruger said before referring to Lim, the show’s Malaysian-born musical director.

“How’s the family, Chong? All right?’’

The network insisted the presenter’s remarks were not intended to be racist, especially as the pair enjoyed a long-standing friendship.

Ms Kruger’s words have produced a mixed reaction on social media. Some users have expressed support for her opinion, while others deemed her ‘racist’ and accused her of ‘spreading division’.

Oh @SoniaKruger 😕 Creating division is exactly what the extremists want. You've just handed them exactly the commentary they want.

— Jonathan Brown (JB) (@JB_AU) July 17, 2016

@SoniaKruger I can't believe you can make such racist and horrid remarks about immigration on national television. That is disgusting

— kc (@obliviouslester) July 17, 2016

Whether you agree with @SoniaKruger or not on border control, appreciate she is only looking out for Australian safety and that took guts!

— Nic Ashman (@Nic_Ashman) July 17, 2016

@TheTodayShow Wow, Sonia Kruger, you are a RACIST.

— Sassy Lassie (@NaughtySec) July 17, 2016

In Bolt’s column, which was published this morning, he said there was a clear link between immigration and terrorism.

“Why have jihadist terrorists made France Europe’s bloodiest battlefield?” he writes. “Simple answer: Because France let in the most Muslims.

“This link between immigration policies and terrorism largely explains why the French are the greatest victims of Europe’s jihadists.

“It also explains why we are fools not to change our own immigration policies to protect ourselves.”

He went on to compare Australia to Japan, pointing out that the latter has a population of 127 million and only 100,000 Muslims.

‘Contrast that with Australia, which has a population of just 24 million, but 500,000 Muslims. How we’ve paid for leaving our door open.”