Albanese blasts Sussan Ley for tweet linking detainees to Dunkley by-election
Anthony Albanese has slammed Sussan Ley for an unapologetic ‘fear campaign’ over High Court detainees released into the community ahead of the Dunkley by-election.
Anthony Albanese has accused the Coalition of launching an unapologetic “fear campaign” ahead of the Dunkley by-election over High Court detainees released into the community, but Peter Dutton declared it was fair game as Victorians were worried about crime.
The Prime Minister said it was “extraordinary” that deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley had not deleted a social media post after police revealed on Thursday that a detainee thought to have reoffended was in fact wrongfully charged.
Ms Ley had quickly taken to social media after Victorian Police announced that one of the 149 immigration detainees released after a High Court ruling last year had been charged with offences including sexual assault.
“If you live in Frankston and you’ve got a problem with Victorian women being assaulted by foreign criminals, vote against Labor,” she said on X.
“If you do not want to see Australian women being assaulted by foreign criminals, vote against Labor.”
The issue dominated question time and prompted the Coalition to ask the Prime Minister if he still had faith in Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, only for police to confirm hours later they had charged the wrong man.
Despite the correction, Ms Ley had not removed her post as of Friday evening.
Mr Albanese said it was clear the post should be removed.
“I find it extraordinary that Ms Ley has refused to delete that tweet,” he said.
“Yesterday showed the problem … if you look at the questions asked in parliament, it says everything about the problem with this 24-hour cycle where you just have a fear campaign about everything and a solution for nothing. And that is what Peter Dutton does. It is all about scare campaigns.”
Education Minister Jason Clare told Ms Ley that the late Peta Murphy, who held the seat of Dunkley until her death in December, would have been “disgusted” by her behaviour.
“If Peta was still alive today, she’d be disgusted with you and that tweet that you put out yesterday. Police have withdrawn the charges, and you should delete that tweet,” he said as the two frontbenchers sparred on the Seven Network.
Ms Ley said that, of the 149 detainees, 37 were sex offenders and that her message to the people of Dunkley remained: “As a woman, I am not taking a backward step on this, and I’m calling it out.”
The Opposition Leader stood by Ms Ley’s comments and also linked the issue to the Dunkley by-election on Saturday.
“If people here in Dunkley are worried about law and order issues, if you’re worried about crime, the last person you want to vote for is Anthony Albanese, because the Prime Minister spent his entire adult life arguing against strong border protection and strong measures in place under the Migration Act,” he said.
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