Teal MP Zali Steggall says she does not regret her comments last week when she called on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to “stop being racist”.
Speaking on ABC Radio National, Steggall said it was important to call out the Coalition on their stance that no Palestinian refugee from Gaza should be accepted into Australia.
Zali Steggall accused Peter Dutton of “being racist” and dividing the country, which the opposition leader said were unparliamentary remarks.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“Look, obviously, it’s always better to keep your cool, [it’s] very difficult when things are being thrown at you. But no, I don’t [regret my comments] because I think this needs to be called out,” Steggall said.
“For too long, we see policies that are inherently racist and they’re designed to foster fear and hatred of a minority group. And the fear of the consequences of calling [that] out means that the policy itself doesn’t get examined and called out, and that’s just bullying and intimidation.”
When asked about reports that Dutton is seeking legal advice, Steggall said it’s “part of the playbook”.
“I would view [reports he is seeking legal advice] as true and tried part of the playbook of Mr Dutton, of bullying and intimidating people from calling out his policy and behaviour and … this policy proposal is inherently racist and it’s designed to foster fear and hatred of a minority group,” she said.
Steggall also slammed an opinion piece Dutton wrote for the Sunday News Corp papers, in which he accused Labor, the Teals and the Greens of being “Hamas’s useful idiots”.
“This is all designed to foster fear,” Steggall said.
Source Agencies
