Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I think it is disappointing that things that are said by Mr Dutton which we do not support, which do not reflect our policy, our values or our approach, are somehow used in that question as a political attack on the Labor government.

What I'd say to you, Senator Faruqi, is what I've said previously when the discussion of racism has occurred over the last decades. When I am asked that question, what I have said is that I do not know what is in people's hearts, but I can look at what they say. I do know also where the words of politicians, and in this case the words of Mr Dutton, land for communities—how people feel when they hear those words. And I know that, when Mr Dutton has an opportunity to bring people together or to divide, he almost always chooses the latter, and you've referenced some of the times we have seen that. We've seen that when he said that welcoming Lebanese refugees was a mistake. We've seen that when he's spread falsehoods about African migrants. We've seen him also say that white South Africans should have fast tracked visas. I remember also the words of his political hero, John Howard, when he called for a reduction in Asian immigration because that was bad for social cohesion.

So, yes, Senator, I do understand, and so do many of us on this side—I think all of us on this side, but some personally—where these words land and what that means for communities. But what we try to do is to govern— (Time expired)