Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has dodged questions on whether he made a captain’s call when he said the government should reject all migrants from the war-torn Gaza Strip as potential threats.
Dutton escalated the Coalition’s political attack over weak security checks for arrivals from Gaza yesterday, after ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said rhetorical support for Hamas – a listed terrorist group – would not necessarily preclude people from coming into the country.
Dutton told Sky News yesterday morning: “I don’t think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment, it’s not prudent to do so and I think it puts our national security at risk”.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on the Today show on Thursday.Credit: Nine
But appearing on Channel Nine’s Today this morning, Dutton said his job was to act in the country’s best interests and it was not relevant whether he made a captain call.
“It’s not an issue that goes to shadow cabinet,” he said. “I’ve got a great national security team with James Patterson and with Andrew Hastie. We’ve had countless conversations about this topic.
“It’s a discussion not for shadow cabinet, to be honest, it’s a discussion with the national security team, and I’ve done that, and it’s in our country’s best interests.”
Also appearing on Channel Seven’s Sunrise, Dutton said ASIO should be directed to interview anyone who comes into the country from a war zone, not just conduct background checks.
“If we’ve got people who are sympathetic to or have supported Hamas, [a] listed terrorist organisation, why would we want them coming into our country?” he said.
“We can help people, and we’re a big-hearted country, but we can’t be bringing people in who haven’t been interviewed.
“My motivation here is to make sure that we can take decisions that are in our country’s best interests that keep us safe.”
