Minister slams detention centre 'racial' campaign
SourceImmigration Minister Chris Bowen has taken a swipe at the Australia First Party for distributing provocative leaflets about asylum seekers to Adelaide Hills residents.
Mr Bowen was at Lobethal in the Hills on Wednesday evening to meet residents about the detention centre to be set up at Inverbrackie, in former defence housing.
He said leaflets claiming Australia was being invaded by illegal immigrants were a pointless distraction.
"I think they're disgusting leaflets. I think they're leaflets which add nothing to the public debate," he said.
"They are driven by a political agenda and that political agenda is clearly driven on racial motives.
"I do not think it represents in any way, shape or form anything like a majority or even a significant minority view in this community or in any other community."
The Federal Government is expected to oppose a parliamentary motion seeking to let Adelaide Hills residents vote on whether they want the detention centre in their area.
Mr Bowen told the Lobethal meeting Labor would oppose the private member's motion.
The federal Liberal member for the Adelaide Hills seat of Mayo, Jamie Briggs, said his constituents deserved to be heard in Canberra.
"Our view is give people that opportunity to have their voice to the Federal Parliament, have some of these questions answered and considered by the Federal Parliament before this is rushed ahead with," he said.
Opponents of the detention centre were again out in force, but Mr Bowen said he heard other voices at the meeting.
"If anything I think there were strong views in favour of the facility which perhaps weren't heard at previous meetings," he said.
"Initially there's a lot of concern and a lot of questions. As those questions get answered and the people see the potential benefits for the community then the position changes."
"people see the potential benefits for the community then the position changes". Maybe someone should tell Europe that. Once again nothing but lies and smear from the people who claim to be the representatives of our communities.
Sir Alex Fraser Tyler (1742-1813) Scottish jurist and professor at the University of Edinburgh
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.
In short: democracies are eminently corruptible, they are unendingly corrupted by humans who are easily made corrupt by the privileges of elected office.
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