‘If anybody with an Irish accent knocks on your door, ask them to leave’: Fury over MP’s ‘racist’ slur

CONSUMER Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz has been bombarded with vile insults online after she made “racist” comments linking the Irish accent with conmen.

CONSUMER Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz has been bombarded with vile insults online after she made “racist” comments linking the Irish accent with conmen.

The blundering minister has faced calls to quit and issued a full apology after a routine scam warning went awry.

“If anybody knocks on your door that has an Irish accent, automatically ask them to leave,” she said earlier this week.

The comments prompted international backlash and a statement from the Australian Embassy in Ireland on the “warm and friendly” relationship between the two countries.

The Victorian Consumer sparked fury by advising Australians to literally shut their doors on people with Irish accents. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The Minister trended in Dublin on social media website, Twitter.

But in vengeful tirades online, Ms Kairouz was also labelled a bigot and a c***, with some also attacking her Lebanese background.

“You are not exactly a blonde hair blue eyed Aussie yourself — racist, pointless waste of space,” one critic said.

Ms Kairouz issued an apology via Twitter after the comments aired on television, admitting she delivered the warning about travelling conmen “poorly”.

“I sincerely apologise for causing offence and my poor choice of words,” she said.

But Barry Corr, from the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce, said the “misguided and disappointing” comments had struck a chord.

“Let’s not lose sight of the fact a lot of our members right across Australia have been deeply offended by a gross misrepresentation of their community and it’s contribution,” he said.

“But the relationship (between Australia and Ireland) is stronger than the comments.”

Shadow treasurer Michael O’Brien — an Irish-born Australian — said in Parliament that the baseless comments warranted more than an online apology.

“I do not suggest that the minister is a bad person, but those comments were disgraceful,” he said.

“The minister has slurred many Irish people, and the Irish community in this state are rightly upset by those comments.

“She should make a heartfelt and genuine apology to people who have been offended by those inconsiderate, wrong and baseless remarks.”

But Premier Daniel Andrews said the matter should be laid to rest.

“I think it is fair to say that the Minister misspoke, didn’t mean any offence and has apologised accordingly,” he said.

“That would be, from my point of view, the end of the matter.”

Originally published as ‘If anybody with an Irish accent knocks on your door, ask them to leave’: Fury over MP’s ‘racist’ slur