Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to Labor's new White Australia policy. This Labor government was the first in the world to congratulate Trump and Netanyahu on their illegal bombing of Iran. This illegal war has seen more than 150 innocent schoolgirls murdered, most likely by the US. Thousands of people across the region have been killed, many others injured and scores of thousands more displaced. This government's own travel advice says the region is highly volatile because of the risk of ongoing reprisal attacks and escalation. This Albanese government has now sent ADF personnel and an aircraft to the gulf, making Australia an active participant in this violence. We are now officially at war, thanks to Albanese. And, at the very moment that his government is helping escalate the violence, it is also slamming the door on the people who will inevitably be forced to flee it. It is unconscionably cruel to foresee a refugee crisis, play a role in creating it and then take steps to avoid responsibility for the innocent people caught in the middle.

This bill that Labor is ramming through—the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026—is straight out of the One Nation playbook. It's the latest example of how Labor, the coalition and One Nation are all competing to be the cruellest and most racist because they think this is a path to political success. But it is driving so much damage and division in this country and abroad. This legislation is a racist dog whistle. It's eerily similar to Donald Trump's Muslim bans and will be used to target black and brown people. It seems Labor wants to drag this country back to the days of the White Australia policy. Shame!

If we want to understand why Islamophobia and racism against black and brown communities is rising in this country, we only need to look at this bill. It would give sweeping powers to the minister to block entire groups of visa holders from travelling to Australia on suspicion alone, even when they have legitimate reasons to be here. Powers like this will quickly be weaponised against black and brown people, who are always treated as suspects. We know a double standard will occur, and these powers won't be used to stop people from places like Israel or Ukraine if they seek refuge in this country to escape danger. These powers will be reserved to be used against Muslim and Arab people being displaced by the United States and Israel's illegal attacks in Iran and elsewhere, conflicts the Albanese government continues to back. Shame! What's going on? This government gives a handful of tokenistic humanitarian visas to Iranian soccer players so that it can boast about its generosity. With this government, the only way to protect yourself from this illegal war is to be an elite athlete.

We cannot allow this country to slide further down this dangerous path. Racist migration policies have no place in this country, and the Albanese government has a duty to assist people seeking refuge, regardless of their skin colour or their religion, particularly when they are from places where this government is complicit in violence. This bill must be opposed in the strongest possible terms, and I will later move a second reading amendment. We need to lead by example. We cannot follow the US and Israel in the killing of innocent people. Labor, you should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves.