One Nation’s Mark Latham addresses idea to DNA test people claiming Aboriginal ancestry

Mark Latham wants to DNA test people on welfare, because Aussies with “blonde hair and blue eyes” are claiming to be indigenous.

One Nation’s Mark Latham has attempted to explain how his DNA testing of people who claim Aboriginal ancestry would work.

The One Nation NSW party leader appeared on Today this morning, telling host Deborah Knight “a single dollar of wasted welfare money is a problem”.

The state party leader said his idea would stop “welfare rorters” and stop “self-identification”, claiming the idea was already working well in the US with Native Americans.

“What I’m saying is if the technology exists for the DNA ancestry testing, let’s use it,” Mr Latham told the breakfast show.

“Let’s find out the heritage of the people applying for indigenous programs and obviously if they have got very little or have got none, they are trying to rort the system, that’s no good. “We should be respecting genuine indigenous identity and getting the money to the people in need who have got the genuine Aboriginal background.”

Mark Latham is doubling down on his DNA testing idea. Picture: Today

The One Nation state leader said the best way to stop “welfare rorts” was through scientific evidence that “shows you’re fair dinkum”.

“I mean, taxpayers work very, very hard,” he said.

“I think it costs $150 to do the test. I’m waiting for my results now for reasons of working out the family tree. Many people are doing this. And I think it’s a good idea in indigenous affairs.”

Mr Latham told Today the “self-identification” system had turned the average Australian into “a bit of a joke”.

“You put your hand up and say, ‘I’m indigenous’ and you get a letter from a community group — and they hand those out pretty regularly — and that qualifies you for all the indigenous welfare and I suppose the average Australian has become a bit of a joke. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed Aboriginal who is getting welfare and qualifying for land council programs. I think that’s very disrespectful,” he said.

.@RealMarkLatham has revealed One Nation's plan to force anyone claiming ancestral ancestry to prove it with DNA testing. The plan would "weed out welfare rorters" because "a single dollar of wasted welfare money is a problem". #9Today pic.twitter.com/jknaHNzxs4

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) March 11, 2019

In a party policy statement released yesterday, One Nation announced it would introduce a new system of indigenous identification.

“Australians are sick and tired of seeing people with blonde hair and blue eyes declaring themselves to be indigenous, when clearly they have no recognisable Aboriginal background and are doing it solely to qualify for extra money,” the party said.

“We will tighten the eligibility rules for Aboriginal identity to require DNA evidence of at least 25 per cent indigenous — the equivalent of one fully Aboriginal grandparent.”

Mark Latham will run for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

Mr Latham also regularly referred to the way the US runs its welfare with the Native Americans there.

“This has become a big thing in the United States for example, the American Indians have become strong, saying ‘respect our identity, do the testing and we will find out who is genuine and who is not’. That is obviously the best way to run any government employment, land rights or welfare program,” he said.

Yesterday, it was also revealed controversial broadcaster Alan Jones had thrown his support behind Mr Latham, donating money towards his NSW election campaign.

Mr Latham is a regular guest on Jones’ popular breakfast radio program and the pair wrote a cookbook together in 2018 — titled Conversations in the Kitchen.

The former Labor leader, who is headlining One Nation’s push into NSW politics, said no-one in the Australian media had a “bigger, thoroughly researched interest” in public policy debate than Jones.

“My campaign is honoured to have received his donation support and I aim not to let him and other supporters down as I pursue our policy agenda in NSW Parliament, if elected,” he wrote on Twitter yesterday.

Mr Latham is running for an eight-year term in the NSW upper house, while the party is fielding scores of candidates across lower house seats.