Sonia Kruger backlash: ‘Hurtful’ TV presenter not helping race relations: Experts
TV host Sonia Kruger’s call to stop Muslim immigration has exposed a deep divide within Australia, community leaders said yesterday.
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TV host Sonia Kruger’s call to stop Muslim immigration has exposed a deep divide within Australia, community leaders said yesterday.
But the debate in reaction to recent terrorist attacks also reveals a very real fear that Australia is at risk of further deadly assaults — a fear which the Muslim community yesterday said it shares.
A teary Kruger yesterday again defended her comments in the wake of the latest terror attack which claimed 84 lives in France, saying the image of a dead child had “rocked me to the very core ... the thought that it could happen here terrifies me”.
She told Today audiences on Monday that, “Personally I would like to see (Muslim migration) stop now for Australia.”
Yesterday she said there was no simple answer to “a hugely complex and sensitive issue” but “at the very least we need to be able to discuss it”.
Her former Big Brother co-host Mike Goldman yesterday defended Kruger, saying she was “one of the nicest people I have ever met ... (she) is definitely not a racist”.
Former chair of the now disbanded NSW Community Relations Commission Stepan Kerkyasharian yesterday said lack of political leadership was fanning the fires of division in Australia.
“The Muslim community is also living in fear of extremists and terrorists but the nature of public discourse has contributed to the growth of Islamophobia, so the Muslim community is living with an added fear,” Mr Kerkyasharian said.
“If not checked, this will lead to serious ... conflict and the potential for violence.”
Refugee advocate and Social Justice Network founder Jamal Daoud said the growing division between Muslim and non-Muslims played straight into the hands of extremists.
“There are genuine concerns about home-grown terrorism within all communities, including Muslim communities, but this growing fear is deeply dividing society to the point where comments can be used by extremists to help radicalise young people,” Mr Daoud said.
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Ex-footballer and Channel 9 NRL commentator Matty Johns echoed these concerns, saying “destructive” individuals would use Kruger’s “words and say ‘see, look, this is what I told you … you don’t belong, but you belong with us’.”
As many of Kruger’s TV colleagues were instructed not to comment on the controversy, her Twitter and Facebook profiles have been inundated with fiery comments — both for and against her.
Muslim advocates Mariam Veiszadeh and Muslim Women’s Association CEO Maha Abdo yesterday invited Kruger to join them for a coffee and conversation.
“As a mother and a grandmother myself, I know how it feels seeing vision of children caught up in atrocities,’’ Ms Abdo said.
“These are the fears mothers have everywhere.”
Originally published as Sonia Kruger backlash: ‘Hurtful’ TV presenter not helping race relations: Experts
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