Queensland MP urges electorate to vote out Senator Fraser Anning

Queensland Senator Fraser Anning has admitted he has billed taxpayers for flights to appear at a controversial rally in Melbourne yesterday. His attendance has been condemned by fellow politicians from all sides of politics.

QUEENSLANDERS should vote Senator Fraser Anning out after his attendance at a neo-Nazi rally in Victoria at the weekend, Palaszczuk Government Minister Kate Jones has urged.

“Like all Australians I am appalled that a Senator of our country would stand shoulder to shoulder with Neo-Nazis,” Ms Jones said.

PM condemns ‘ugly racial protests'

“Racism is not accepted or tolerated in our country and it is about time that Queenslanders gave Senator Anning the boot.”

Queensland Minister Kate Jones says she is appalled by Fraser Anning’s appearance at the Melbourne rally. File picture

She described his attendance at the rally as shameful “on a global scale”.

Ms Jones said voters would have the chance to kick Senator Anning out at the looming federal election.

“We have to send a very clear message both internationally and here in Australia that we do not tolerate racism in any form,” she said,

“We have benefited greatly from having a deeply diverse and multicultural country.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took to Twitter to condemn the protests.

“Extremist gatherings and the promotion of offensive views achieve nothing good and only serve to foster hatred,” she tweeted.

“They should always be condemned.

“Let racism wither away while we devote our time and effort to an inclusive and respectful society. “

Extremist gatherings and the promotion of offensive views achieve nothing good and only serve to foster hatred.

They should always be condemned.

Let racism wither away while we devote our time and effort to an inclusive and respectful society.

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 6, 2019

Queensland’s LNP Opposition has joined with the Palaszczuk Government in condemning Senator Anning for attending the rally.

LNP frontbencher David Janetzki said the LNP strongly condemned the Senator’s actions and remarks, describing them as gobsmacking,

“Queensland deserves better representation than that on offer from Senator Anning,” he said.

“It is gobsmacking that any politician would want to be at a rally where the Nazi salute is being used and it is shocking that Senator Anning seems to be proud of it.”

Senator Fraser Anning in St Kilda yesterday. Picture: Kenji Wardenclyffe/Wardenclyffe Photography/AAP

Senator Anning released a statement denying there were extremists at the rally.

“I went to Melbourne to represent the people of Queensland who have also been subjected to African gang violence recently; these issues are not just confined to Melbourne anymore, as we have seen they are rapidly spreading to my own state.” Senator Anning’s statement read.

“My presence at the event should in no way be considered an endorsement by me of the views of other speakers or attendees.

“However the truth is that attempts to claim that this rally was a “far right” event appear to be left wing media attempts to distract attention from the purpose of the protest – African gang violence.

“I didn’t see any people there who appeared to be radicals. There were no skinheads, just ordinary working people who’d had enough.

“The only people who were doing Nazi salutes were the far left extremists one hundred metres away who came to try to disrupt a peaceful rally.”

It’s been revealed that Senator Anning will charge taxpayers for the cost of his return flights to Melbourne for the rally.

The Senator described the event as “official business”.

Originally published as Queensland MP urges electorate to vote out Senator Fraser Anning