‘Weak’: Peter Dutton slams Anthony Albanese’s response to anti-Semitism

Peter Dutton has slammed the Anthony Albanese’s “offensive” response to anti-Semitism, accusing the Prime Minister of “ticking a box”.

Peter Dutton has declared he would be the better PM to deal with US President Donald Trump as he slammed Anthony Albanese’s “weak” and “offensive” response to chilling acts of anti-Semitism.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News host Sharri Markson, the Liberal leader declared there is “no doubt” that the Albanese government was partly to blame for the escalating violence.

Accusing the Prime Minister of convening a national cabinet meeting on anti-Semitism “just to tick the box”, the former police officer insisted it should have been held sooner.

He made the comments in the wake of the firebombing of a Sydney daycare centre and a string of shocking anti-Semitic attacks.

“And I think what makes it most egregious is that people are living with that fear, not because the Prime Minister has some greater national security clause in mind, or it’s a piece on a chess board that he’s had to play because of the geopolitical circumstances,’’ Mr Dutton said.

Peter Dutton accused the Prime Minister of convening a national cabinet meeting on anti-Semitism “just to tick the box”. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“He’s done it for crass political reasons, which I think makes it even more offensive to people, because he’s decided to support one segment of the society, of our society, and to essentially shun another part of society.

“I just haven’t seen a Prime Minister do that before.”

“These are terrorist acts. If there were a series of rolling terrorist attacks in the community, I think the Prime Minister would call a national cabinet and a National Security Committee meeting in a heartbeat,” Mr Dutton said.

“Yet it’s taken him … 14 months to get to this point and he does it without any fanfare … he had a press conference with the (NSW) Premier this morning, made no mention of it, and holds it this afternoon, I think just to tick the box.

“The national cabinet meeting should be an opportunity to bring Premiers and the Police Ministers together, as well as the Police Commissioners and the security agencies, to say this is a national crisis – and what we’re dealing with now is a national crisis.”

Mr Dutton made the comments in the wake of the firebombing of a Sydney daycare centre. Picture: ABC

Call for mandatory sentences

Mr Dutton also doubled down on the Coalition’s proposal for mandatory sentencing for terrorism and hate speech attacks.

“We’ve made announcements in relation to strengthening of the laws that we think would provide a very significant deterrence around mandatory sentencing and if we can do that then we have a much better chance of stamping out anti-Semitism that’s now rife in our country,” he said.

The plans included minimum six-year prison terms for terror offences and mandatory 12-month sentences, up to five years, for displays of Nazi or terror symbols.

Asked if Mr Albanese was “partly” to blame for the rise in anti-Semitism Mr Dutton said this was the case from his perspective.

“There’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“And I think it was entirely predictable in the last 12 months, because of what we saw on the steps of the Opera House.

“And when you see the depth of hatred … anti Semitism is working just beneath the surface.

“And I think you could reasonably predict what has happened over the course of the last 12 months that is continuing to escalate.

“But the Prime Minister has just been out of his depth.”

Asked if Mr Albanese was “partly” to blame for the rise in anti-Semitism Mr Dutton said this was the case from his perspective. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Earlier, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns was asked if he thought mandatory minimum sentences should be put to the national cabinet when it convened.

Mr Minns backed tougher punishments as a deterrent, but insisted that mandatory sentences were “restricted to a very small number of offences in NSW”, for example cop killers.

“What about murdering an Australian because of their religious affiliation?” Mr Dutton asked in response.

“Or murdering an Australian because their grandparent had migrated from Israel or in the Holocaust. I don’t understand his point. Every Australian life is sacrosanct.

“We’re talking about terrorist attacks now, this is not a random break and enter into a house to steal money to buy food or drugs, people are being targeted.”

Dutton says he’s better PM to deal with Donald Trump

Asked if he would have a better relationship with President Trump if elected, rather than the Albanese government, Mr Dutton said there was “no doubt in my mind.”

“I think the philosophical differences between the Prime Minister and President Trump are obvious,’’ Mr Dutton told Sky News.

“The Prime Minister found comfort in his relationship with Jacinda Ardern and Justin Trudeau and other left leaning leaders around the world, that’s a reflection of just on the Prime

Minister’s life and his outlook.

Dutton said he would have a better relationship with Donald Trump. Picture: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/AFP

“He’s been the leader of the hard left of the Labor Party for decades. What does he have in common with Donald Trump? What common ground could they find in relation to key issues? It’s harder to imagine much at all. So there’s no doubt in my mind that we can have a very effective relationship and a productive relationship and respectful relationship, mutually with the Trump administration.

“In the government that I lead, we have people of the caliber of James Patterson, who has very good relationships with key individuals within the Trump administration. Similarly with Andrew Hastie Angus Taylor, myself and I’ve dealt with the Trump administration, mark one with the Trump 45 administration, so I feel very confident in the relationship

that we could quickly build, and I think it would be to our country’s benefit that we’re able to leverage off the national security.”

Originally published as ‘Weak’: Peter Dutton slams Anthony Albanese’s response to anti-Semitism