Jacinta Allan slams Peter Dutton’s call to ban Gazan refugees

Jacinta Allan has hit back at federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton over his call to ban all Gazan refugees, saying the “hurtful” comments left her “deeply uncomfortable”.

Premier Jacinta Allan has slammed federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton over his call to ban all Gazan refugees, saying “if now is not the time to show compassion to all who want to seek refuge here, then when is?”

In a fiery speech delivered at the Victorian Multicultural Gala Dinner in Geelong on Saturday night, Ms Allan took aim at the Coalition leader for urging the government to block the visas of Gazan refugees amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Mr Dutton earlier this month said it was not in Australia’s “best interest” to allow Palestinian refugees to come to Australia in the current climate.

“You bring 3000 people in, let’s say 99 per cent are good,” he said.

“If one per cent, 30 people, are questionable or sympathisers with a listed terrorist organisation, how on earth is that in our country’s best interests?”

Jacinta Allan says she was shocked by Peter Dutton’s comments. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Ms Allan said the “hurtful” comments had made her “deeply uncomfortable” as she welcomed more Palestinian refugees to Victoria.

“I’m also prepared to call out hurtful words – hurtful words like we heard recently, disappointingly, from the Federal Opposition Leader who said that families fleeing Palestine weren’t fit to come here, saying that our society could be at risk simply because they had sought refuge here,” she said.

“I have to say, those remarks shocked me. They shocked me, and they made me deeply uncomfortable.”

Ms Allan accused the Liberal leader of pulling “at the fabric of our nation”.

“It’s the last thing Muslim and Palestinian Australians deserve to hear, it’s the last thing all of our communities deserve to hear because communities are hurting,” she said.

“Mr Dutton said it wasn’t a “prudent” time, I could not disagree more strongly.

“And I say that here tonight. If now is not the time to show compassion, to show compassion to all who want to seek refuge here, than when is?”

“Now is the time for welcome – for welcome and love.”

A new poll found the majority of Australians backed Mr Dutton’s call to halt Australia’s intake of Palestinian refugees. Picture: Tertius Pickard

At the dinner, Multicultural Minister Ingrid Stitt announced she was sitting on a table with Palestinian refugees who had recently arrived from Gaza. 

“I’m so proud to be sharing a table with you tonight and to welcome you as valuable members of our community here in Victoria,” she said. 

It comes after a new poll found the majority of Australians backed Mr Dutton’s call to halt Australia’s intake of Palestinian refugees.

The latest Essential Poll of 1,129 voters found 44 per cent of respondents agreed with the opposition leader, compared to 30 per cent who opposed it and 26 per cent who were undecided.

Liberal Senator James Patterson said the Coalition “won’t be taking advice from a premier who can’t even get on top of a youth crime crisis ripping through Melbourne”.

“The only person in Australia less qualified than Tony Burke to ensure the integrity of our migration system is Jacinta Allan,” he said.

“If she naively thinks proper security checks of people fleeing a war zone controlled by a terrorist organisation are not necessary thank god she’s only Premier of Victoria and not in the federal parliament.”

Originally published as Jacinta Allan slams Peter Dutton’s call to ban Gazan refugees