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Byron Shire
March 27, 2024

North coast MP condemned over ‘xenophobic’ comments

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Coffs Harbour state Nationals MP Andrew Fraser has called for Australia's borders to be closed to Syrian refugees. Photo NSW Parliament
Coffs Harbour state Nationals MP Andrew Fraser has called for Australia’s borders to be closed to Syrian refugees. Photo NSW Parliament

North coast Nationals state MP Andrew Fraser has been roundly condemned after calling for Australia to close its borders following revelations that the passport of a Syrian refugee had been found near the body of one of the Paris bombers on the weekend.

Mr Fraser took to Facebook to make the comments, which have not been picked up by the prime minister.

‘Message to Malcolm Turnbull: Australia does not need Middle Eastern refugees or Islamic boat people!’ wrote Mr Fraser, who is the member for Coffs Harbour and assistant speaker of the NSW Parliament.

‘Close our borders we have enough anarchists already resident in Australia (our democracy) we do not need any more coming in disguised as refugees!!!!!!’ he added.

Mr Fraser has reiterated his position on ABC radio this morning, saying ‘the reality is the government in Australia has one main aim – or should have – and that is to make sure our citizens are kept safe.’

The calls have been described by Greens MP and multiculturalism spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi as ‘xenophobic’ and she has called on the premier to distance himself from them.

‘It is disgusting to see such xenophobia coming from a NSW Coalition MP.

‘Mike Baird must distance himself from these comments and reiterate his support for refugees coming from the Middle East – refugees who need our help, regardless of where they came from or what their religion is.

‘Mr Fraser does not seem to realise that refugees coming from the Middle East are fleeing the exact sort of horrible violence that rocked Paris on Friday night.

‘My thoughts are with the victims of violence around the world, from Paris to Beirut, their families, friends, and loved ones.’ Dr Faruqi concluded.

In a message to the nation broadcast from Germany yesterday Mr Turnbull said Australia currently had the appropriate alert seting and, having received advice, he was not about to change it.

‘In terms of the federal security situation in Australia… the advice I have from the Federal Police and from ASIO is that the alert level remains as it has been since September last year. Our security agencies do not believe that there is any evidence at the moment to justify any increase in that alert level. So we should be reassured by that,’ the prime minister said.

No other Nationals MP has echoed Mr Fraser’s calls and federal Page MP Kevin Hogan has distanced himself from the comments, issuing a statement of support for the French people.

‘My thoughts and prayers are with the French people after the terrorist attacks in Paris,’ he said.

‘We stand with them, in condemning these horrific and devastating attacks.

‘If anyone has family or friends in the region who they cannot contact, the consular emergency number is 1300 555 135.

‘If people are concerned about relatives in Paris they should first try contacting them directly,’ Mr Hogan said.

 


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5 COMMENTS

  1. Fully support Mr Fraser’s comments.

    I find nothing wrong with xenophobia when it will serve to preserve our wellbeing in Australia.

    The middle east is falling apart because of a failed antique religion and culture.

    We don’t want those religious practices, culture or their practitioners imported into Australia in the name of humanitarianism. The Grand Mufti doesn’t even speak English. This speaks loudly of his commitment to integrating into Australian society and respecting our democratic rule of law.

    As demonstrated by events on Paris and elsewhere we are all on the frontline and we need to stand up to the bleeding hearts and say no.

  2. The Greens are going to lose my support at the next election over this issue.

    They need to either change their views to be relevant to the voter or cease to exist as a political party.

  3. It is well known now that ISIS is a a US manufacturing. so finding a Syrian Passport near a bomber is all part of passing the bug and making us believe that the Syrians or muslims are bad people so we back the Us in their inhumane war mongering.

  4. Mr Fraser is doing Daesh’s work for them – stirring up fear in all and alienating Muslim Australians, who value our multicultural society as much as the rest of us do. His xenophobia is a recruitment tool for for Daesh, as it promotes alienation and further hatred of intolerant and uncaring Western Democracies.

  5. I’m with you Joe, as I’m are most other sensible Aussies. We’ve now had years of kow-towing to these people just to have them constantly complaining about our way of life and our ‘ungodliness’. The Hizb ut_Tahrir crowd speak for a lot of discontented Muslims.

    We just don’t know what these people plan when they come here. Andrew Fraser is quite right and should be lauded by Australians, not condemned.

    Incidentally, when you write, ‘the Grand Mufti doesn’t even speak English’, this is wrong. He WON’T speak English, presumably so that he can claim to the faithful that his interpreter got it wrong. They play a double game, called ‘al taqqiya’ which allows them to be deceitful when they talk to us ‘kufars’.

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