Labor denies Israel-criticising MP Sue Lines attending Auschwitz event
A senior MP who once said Israel’s policies towards Palestine constituted “apartheid” will not represent Australia at a liberation of Auschwitz event, a government source has confirmed.
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The Government has denied that a senior MP who once said Israel’s policies towards Palestine constituted “apartheid” will represent Australia at an event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz.
It came following media reports Ms Lines, who is the president of the Senate, would head an Australia delegation to Poland for the event.
A government spokeswoman said “Australia will be represented at senior minister level” at the event, with that decision made last year.
It was confirmed late on Tuesday that two of the Albanese Government’s most senior members, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, who is Jewish, would attend.
The prospect of Ms Lines potentially attending triggered condemnation including from former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who is Jewish and who represented the Australian Government at the 70th anniversary of the event.
“The memory of Auschwitz haunts the world and deserves the most respectful response,” he posted on social media, warning the government over who it would send to represent the country.
Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said “it shows appalling judgement to send (Ms Lines) to this important and sensitive event”.
Sky News had reported that as recently as December planning had been undertaken showing Ms Line would head an Australian delegation to Poland.
In 2022, Ms Lines said in the Senate that an Amnesty International report “confirms that Israeli policies against Palestinians fit the definition of the international crime of apartheid”.
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Originally published as Labor denies Israel-criticising MP Sue Lines attending Auschwitz event
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