Palestine visa ban call ‘shuts door’ on Gaza families
A Labor minister has issued a plea for humanity from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton following the coalition’s calls to ban Palestinians fleeing Gaza from being granted a visa.
Mr Dutton urged the government to undertake a pause in the visa intake from the region, until security vetting processes could be ensured, claiming terrorist sympathisers had been admitted to Australia.
But Industry Minister Ed Husic said the opposition leader had turned his back on Palestinian families seeking shelter following the war in the Middle East.
“Peter Dutton was in (government) where he provided support for Syrians, for Afghans and for Ukrainians, and then all of a sudden, just shut the door in one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes we’re witnessing,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
“That speaks volumes about Peter Dutton, someone who is seeking to be an alternative, where he can turn his back on parents that are trying to save lives of their kids, all for the sake of him shoring up his political situation.”
Department of Home Affairs figures showed 7100 visas from Palestine had been rejected, and of the 2922 that had been approved, 1300 had arrived safely in Australia.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s bombing campaigns and ground offensives according to the local health ministry.
That military action followed the Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, in which Israel says about 1200 people were killed and 250 abducted.
Mr Husic said it was appropriate for tourist visas to be issued to those fleeing from Palestine, due to it being able to be processed faster.
“Refugee visas take longer, and given what’s happening right now and the dangers presented, the view was to try and get people out as quickly as you can,” he said.
“We are trying to assist at some of the toughest points in time that people are facing.”
The federal government has insisted the security vetting process for issuing visas is the same as when the coalition government was in office.
Opposition housing spokesman Michael Sukkar is accusing the government of a “cavalier attitude” to the security vetting process.
“They think that there’s nothing wrong with bringing Hamas sympathisers and supporters potentially to this country,” he told Sky News.
“You’ve got to put the interests of Australians first … and their interest is not supported by Hamas supporters and sympathisers being granted visas into this country.”
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