Fraser Anning (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Cash. In response to a question without notice yesterday concerning the need to prevent immigration from extremist Muslim countries, you repeatedly made it clear that the government had no intention of changing its current indiscriminate immigration policy. However, following yet another terrorist attack in Melbourne at the weekend by a Muslim so-called refugee, the Prime Minister stated: 'Radical, violent extremist Islam is the greatest threat to Australia's national security.' If the government admits the threat posed by Islam to this nation but refuses to change the current indiscriminate immigration program that allows radical, violent extremist Islamists to continue to come here, is it not wilfully refusing to protect the Australian people from this threat?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Have you infiltrated the National Party yet?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, I've asked for silence during questions.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Anning for his question. Senator Anning, the response to Senator Hanson's question yesterday is the same response to your question today—Australia has a non-discriminatory immigration policy. I also reiterate what the Prime Minister has said in relation to the terrorist attack in Melbourne. This attack underlies the need for all of us to remain constantly vigilant, never deterred and always defiant in the face of terrorism. We cannot be blind to, or ignorant of, the challenges our society faces. It is clear that religious extremism—in particular, radical and dangerous Islamic extremism—is a major threat in Australia, just as it is in other countries. Radical violent extremist Islam opposes our very way of life. Our religious leaders have a special responsibility to call out extremism and dangerous teachings and ideologies and to alert authorities to radicalised members of their community. We must all—government, communities and religious leaders—work together respectfully to ensure that we continue to prevail in the face of this evil.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Anning, a supplementary question.

Fraser Anning (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Former Prime Minister John Howard stated:

I don't think it is wrong, racist, immoral or anything, for a country to say, 'We will decide what the cultural identity and the cultural destiny of this country will be.'

Given that the Morrison government refuses to discriminate on immigration selection between those who share our cultural values and those who reject and despise them, is it not the case that the Morrison government has rejected the views of former—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Anning. The time for asking the question has expired. I ask Senator Cash to address the elements of the question asked during the time.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Anning, the answer to your question is: absolutely not. Again I reiterate that Australia has a non-discriminatory immigration policy, but you would be aware that the government continually reviews its national security settings to ensure that they are consistent with any threats that we face.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Anning, a final supplementary question.

Fraser Anning (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now that Prime Minister Morrison has finally—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator McKim and Senator Bernardi! I have asked for silence during questions. Continue, Senator Anning.

Fraser Anning (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now that Prime Minister Morrison has finally conceded my argument regarding the threat posed by Islam to this country, when will the Liberal government finally consider accepting my solution of allowing the Australian people to decide, via a plebiscite, whether they want any more Muslims to be allowed to migrate here?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Anning, I completely reject the proposition of your question that the Prime Minister has in any way accepted what you have proposed. The Prime Minister has made very clear his position in relation to border security. Our Prime Minister is the former minister for immigration. As the former minister for immigration and now in his role as the Prime Minister of Australia he has made it incredibly clear—very clear—to the Australian people that national security is the No. 1 concern of this government and it will continue to be. We will continue to put in place policies, as we have done for the entire time we have been elected, to ensure that the Australian people and the country of Australia are safe.