Liberal Shadow Housing Minister Andrew Bragg has fired back at One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's divisive comments about Muslim Australians, made at a recent UK conference. Bragg has accused Hanson of making a "business" out of criticizing minority groups, saying she will "do or say anything to tee off against minority interests." His comments come as the Liberal Party prepares for the upcoming Australian election, with Bragg emphasizing the party's commitment to a "majority government" and rejecting the agendas of both Labor and One Nation. Bragg also took the opportunity to highlight the Liberal Party's proud history of promoting multiculturalism, citing the contributions of former Prime Ministers such as Robert Menzies, Harold Holt, and Malcolm Fraser. Will Bragg's defense of the Liberal Party's record on multiculturalism be enough to counter Hanson's inflammatory rhetoric?
Bragg says Australia has ‘a very proud record to stand on’. Follow the latest updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBragg says Hanson has ‘made a business’ of criticism of minoritiesThe shadow housing minister, Andrew Bragg, has been asked to weigh in on the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson’s claims about Muslim Australians at the UK’s CPAC conference this week. He has told the ABC’s Insiders:Look, she’ll do or say anything to tee off against minority interests. She’s made a business out of teeing off against minority interests, and I think it’s very regrettable. But it’s free speech as part of our society. She’s allowed to hang out with whoever she wants to hang out with on a European holiday.We will always shoot for majority government, and we reject a large part of the agendas of both the Labor Party and the One Nation Party … I mean, they’re both as bad as each other. It’d be a coin toss. I mean, I just think that they’re both very bad, and that’s why we are taking our responsibility very seriously, of being a party of government that can win an election across all of Australia.Well, I don’t agree with that, and I’d make the point that liberalism has actually created multiculturalism because it creates a framework for people to have freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of conscience. And the Liberal party built modern Australia, if you look at the Menzies government opening up after the war, the Holt government abolishing parts of the White Australia policy, and then, of course, Malcolm Fraser’s actions to promote multiculturalism and introduce things like the SBS.So we have a very proud record to stand on, and I think it’s very important that we’re clear about that. Continue reading...
