Sonia Kruger Muslim comments: Peter Dutton slams thought police

The Immigration Minister defends Sonia Kruger’s right to ‘speak her mind’ but rejects her call to block Muslim migrants.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has defended celebrity Sonia Kruger’s right to “speak her mind”, warning terrorists are seeking to undermine Australians’ freedoms of speech and religion.

Rejecting Kruger’s call to block Muslims migrating to Australia, Mr Dutton warned against allowing the “thought police” of the political fringes drown out people expressing their honest, if misguided, opinions.

“I think we have to allow people freedom of speech and one of the things that terrorists want in the western world is for us to give up elements of our democracy,” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.

“If we don’t allow people to speak their minds, even if they’re incorrect in what they’re saying, I think we do give rise to a more extreme view of the discussion on both the left and right.

“That’s the great strength of Australia and we can’t have thought police out there from the left or the right saying this is OK but we censor this element.”

Mr Dutton said Australians should celebrate the fact that “the vast majority” of migrants, regardless of their religion, were committed to contribute to Australia.

“One of the great things about our country is that we welcome people from the four corners of the earth and that is what has made us a great country,” he said.

Mr Dutton’s comments echo those of new assistant multiculturalism minister Zed Seselja who yesterday said he “wasn’t going to demonise’’ Kruger.

with AAP