Pauline Hanson warns government against increasing refugee intake

WITH Julie Bishop promising an imminent decision on Australia’s refugee intake, Pauline Hanson had a message for her on live TV: Please refrain.

JULIE Bishop says a decision on how many refugees Australia will accept from the Syrian crisis will be made in the next few days.

The Foreign Minister said the government was considering its options, including agreeing to an emergency Syrian intake as suggested by Labor yesterday.

Ms Bishop was making her comments as Pauline Hanson, on Sunrise, was warning that Tony Abbott faced a backlash if the government increased its refugee intake.

“On a per capita basis we take in more refugees than any other country throughout the world,” she said.

“When we see the photos ... yes our hearts go out to these people, but let’s step back and ask where is the money coming from?”

The former One Nation leader claimed that refugee children in Rockhamption high schools were abusing and making death threats to their teachers, while their parents were taking jobs off local residents.

“If you want to have peace and harmony in this country you cannot keep increasing the Muslims, Islam, in Australia ... we will have huge problems down the track,” she said.

“There are millions of Australians that are concerned about this, so go and speak to the Australian people because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

“And I warn Tony Abbott, he will have a backlash if he takes a lot of these people in at the next election, so he better prepared for it.”

‘Where’s the money coming from?’ ... Pauline Hanson has stirred the pot again.

The security committee of cabinet meets today and is almost certain to sign off on Australia joining air strikes in Syria against Islamic State.

“There are a number of issues that need to be determined. When you resettle people permanently you have to make sure you have facilities in place, housing, facilities, education, health facilities. So these are matters we are working through,” Ms Bishop told the Nine Network’s Today program.

“Because of this crisis, we are reconsidering (refugee intake) figures and we will do what we can. But the Prime Minister will announce this once Peter Dutton reports back to him on the detail.”

Ms Bishop said that decision would be made over coming days.

“In the next few days at least,” she said.

The Foreign Minister said Australia was mostly looking at the plight of those minorities who wanted to flee Syria permanently.

She said there were a number of people currently fleeing Syria that would want to return home once the conflict was over.

“We are focusing on women and children and families of persecuted minorities who are currently in camps on the borders between Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq,” Ms Bishop said.

“When the conflict is over people will want to return (to Syria). But there are some persecuted ethnic and religious minorities who will not want to go home so they are the ones we are focusing on as other countries are as well.”

Ms Bishop said personally it was “heartbreaking” to see the plight of those fleeing their homeland.

She said a decision on whether or not Australia would join in air strikes over Syria would also be made this week.

“It is a complex set of circumstances but we will play our part to ensure the conflict ends,” Ms Bishop said.

“There must not only be a military but political solution.”

The Prime Minister has only agreed to accepting more Syrian refugees within the existing pool of refugees, however Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is in meetings in Geneva with the UNHCR and the government has indicated it may shift its position following those talks.