Akerman: Squirming PM is taking advantage of our caring national character in bid to cling to power

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s sole interest is in clinging to power, not what’s best for national security, writes Piers Akerman.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and ASIO boss Mike Burgess don’t have a

problem letting people who offer “rhetorical” support for terrorists into Australia.

I believe most Australians do and that Burgess is just supporting Labor’s policy. But where exactly on the spectrum of terrorist acts does rhetorical support lie?

Is it at the hate speech level displayed at the Opera House, TikTok and X posts, Israeli flag burning, Islamist drive-throughs of Jewish neighbourhoods, blatantly anti-Semitic campus protests, graffiti desecrating the War Memorial, synagogues, or occupying politicians’ offices including Albanese’s own electoral HQ?

The terrorists in question are from Gaza, where a majority of the population supports Hamas, the nihilistic cult that worships the death of its own barbaric rapists and murderers and civilian supporters, while exulting in the death and defilement of those it kills.

The late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh who, on hearing of the deaths of his three sons and their families, told Al Jazeera, the favourite terrorist news agency, that he “thanks God for bestowing upon us the honour of their martyrdom”.

The late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Picture: Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu via Getty Images

Haniyeh thought he was safely out of the fray in his luxury apartment in Qatar – until he was skilfully assassinated in Iran.

The slaughter of thousands of Gazan civilians has always been the aim of Hamas as a strategy to isolate Israel in world opinion.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

It employed human shields, built its bases under hospitals and schools, and infiltrated the UN relief agency UNRWA with its terrorists, ensuring that non-combatants would be killed during Israel’s struggle to free hostages held since October 7.

Gazans, who voted for Hamas to govern them, now want to flee but also to continue their support for terrorism.

Not one of the Muslim nations who border Gaza want them.

Egypt has flatly rejected the idea, as has Jordan. A score of other Muslim nations between here and Gaza have their doors firmly closed.

Unlike Albanese, they don’t want to accept potential terrorists. Of the 193 members states in the UN, fewer than four have taken the risk. Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Russia, China, Pakistan, Kuwait, Afghanistan, North Korea, Turkey and Germany have all said “no”.

Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, competes in the women's breaking at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Picture: Odd Andersen/AFP

Albanese’s words can never be taken seriously. His frenetic squirming when asked in question time about the visas issued to Gazans would have won our dud break dancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn a podium finish at the very least.

He couldn’t even say whether “supporting a listed terrorist organisation like Hamas passes Australia’s character test”.

The Albanese government has issued 2922 visas to Gazans since October 7 and there is no guarantee that any of those who came to Australia since were subjected to the same level of security checks required of refugees from Syria or Afghanistan.

We are a caring nation, as the number of displaced persons who have legally migrated here demonstrate. It is in the national interest to ensure that those who come here accept our culture to ensure that our generally harmonious society is not placed under greater pressure.

It is to our great shame that our Jewish community, among which are some of our most creative and inspirational figures (yes, even Olympic gold medal winners) no longer feel safe because of the open intolerance and outright anti-Semitism shown by pro-Palestinian supporters of Hamas in our cities and on our campuses.

Albanese’s sole interest is in clinging to power, not what’s best for national security. If even one terrorist enters Australia because of Labor’s pandering to Muslim voters, it is one too many.