Opposition keeps up pressure on Gaza visa issue in question time

The Coalition is not letting up on its questions about visa processing for Palestinians fleeing Gaza, putting issues at home second place yet again.

The Prime Minister has accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of “nastiness” over the Coalition’s ongoing attacks on visas granted to Palestinians fleeing war-torn Gaza.

Domestic issues took a back seat yet again during Question Time on Wednesday, with the opposition throwing question after question at the government over the issue.

The Coalition accused the Albanese government of failing to carry out adequate checks.

But Anthony Albanese homed in on Mr Dutton, saying he “continually looks to pretend he’s so strong, but nastiness is not a strength.”

“Nastiness is not strength,” Mr Albanese said.

“And punching down on vulnerable people is not strength.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese turned the attack on Gaza visas back on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during Question Time. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He said the Opposition was not concerned about “any of the issues that Australians are talking about in their households”, such as the economy.

“They’re more concerned about the Middle East than middle Australia. It exposes their political expediency, because they don’t have an agenda.”

Wednesday’s barrage of questions follows reporting by Sky News that some of the 2922 visas granted to Palestinians fleeing Gaza were issued without manual checks.

Citing security sources, Sky reported that applicants’ names were checked against various watchlists but that they were not manually reviewed unless they triggered an alert.

Several Coalition MPs alleged fully-automated systems were used to vet Gazans seeking refuge.

“All visitor visa applications … are decided with the involvement of departmental staff – none are fully automated,” Anthony Albanese said, responding to a question from Liberal MP Angie Bell.

“I’m sure the member is aware, the Rafah border crossing is closed.

“Those opposite said nothing about these issues when the visas were actually being introduced.”

The Rafah crossing is the only way out of Gaza that does not go through Israel and was closed in early November last year, just under two months into Israel’s incursion.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused opposition leader Peter Dutton of ‘punching down on vulnerable people’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Albanese said there were no visas currently being issued “because people can’t get out of the Rafah crossing” and that Coalition MPs “know that”.

He said the opposition was not pursuing questions on Gaza because it wanted “to get an answer”, but because it wanted to “sow doubt and to stoke division, and to create fear.”

“It exposes their political expediency because they don’t have an agenda,” Mr Albanese said.

Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and 1.9 million displaced in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive following Hamas’ brutal October 7 terrorist attacks, according to UN figures.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs Gaza, killed nearly 1200 in its attacks on Israel and took hundreds more hostage, including children.

Originally published as Opposition keeps up pressure on Gaza visa issue in question time