Peta Credlin defends the Coalition’s immigration policy

Peta Credlin defends the Coalition’s immigration policy saying “it’s not a simple hand on heart response”.

Peta Credlin defended the Coalition’s immigration policy on Sky News on Tuesday night in a debate with public policy fellow at Melbourne University Nicholas Reece.

The former Liberal Party chief of staff said the plans to increase the uptake of refugees, like the Greens plan announced today, were illogical without the funding and infrastructure to support them.

“Let’s be fair dinkum we are talking about public housing, we are talking about water shortages, we are talking about a range of issues, it’s not a simple hand on heart humanitarian response, it’s got to be hard-headed and it’s got to be paid for.”

Peta Credlin says a 'hard headed' response is needed towards our humanitarian intake of refugees #ausvotes #pmlive https://t.co/ZAblb7KB8e

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 17, 2016

Mr Reece countered that Australia has had many successful waves of immigration, including after the WWII, where the country accepted hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the Holocaust in Europe.

“They’ve built this country into the amazing country that it is. This line that Peta is running that there is certain types of people that shouldn’t be allowed in this country is extremely dangerous and I’d pause you to reflect on what you’re saying,” he said.

Ms Credlin was quick to respond: “Do not play that lefty line. Do not play that lefty line. Do not try and say my side of politics somehow is morally corrupt by wanting the intake to be paid for,” she said. “You’ve got to pay for it … my side of politics is just as generous as your side of politics. But the thing is we’re always left with the bill. And you want Australians to come with you on your humanitarian intake. You want Australians to support the level of intake. Because if you don’t, you get a feral outbreak, like [Pauline] Hanson, and you must not have that happen again.”

Peta Credlin defends 'her side of politics' as generous on refugees #ausvotes #pmlive https://t.co/jAe17bjsBT

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 17, 2016

Host Paul Murray also questioned why the media, specifically Fairfax, was so quick to report on Credlin’s comments each time she appears on the Sky News program.

“I’m nobody’s girl,” she quipped, adding that she suspected Fairfax was playing the “corporate game” by reporting so extensively on her appearances as a television commentator.

“I think because I chose News Limited over Fairfax,” she said, refusing to divulge any other details about possible commentator roles she may have been offered.

Peta Credlin says she declined an offer from Fairfax Media to join them as a commentator #pmlive https://t.co/jVPhXPRjEO

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 17, 2016

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton also featured at the beginning of the program, slamming the Greens plan announced today to welcome 50,000 refugees into Australia per year.

“The thought you can somehow turn the tap on and off with refugees is complete nonsense,” he told Murray. “These people would be taking Australian jobs, there’s no question about that … There would be a huge cost and there is no point in sugar coating that.”

He said that Labor’s plan to double the intake to 27,000 is to appease or “buy out” the Left.

.@PeterDutton_MP says more refugees will take Australian's jobs or languish in unemployment queues #ausvotes #pmlive https://t.co/TdFlaQc8Tb

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 17, 2016