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Tony Abbott apologises to Alan Jones for not acting on 'hate preachers' Tony Abbott apologises to Alan Jones for not acting on 'hate preachers'
(about 4 hours later)
Tony Abbott has apologised for not moving sooner against “hate preachers” – while flagging a “red card” system to deny people entry to Australia.Tony Abbott has apologised for not moving sooner against “hate preachers” – while flagging a “red card” system to deny people entry to Australia.
The prime minister told the Alan Jones radio program on Wednesday morning Australians were permitted to “say stupid things” but the government should act to prevent people from overseas entering the country to stir up trouble.The prime minister told the Alan Jones radio program on Wednesday morning Australians were permitted to “say stupid things” but the government should act to prevent people from overseas entering the country to stir up trouble.
“By all means let Australians who want to say stupid things to say stupid things but there’s no point importing troublemakers from overseas to stir people up,” the prime minister told 2GB.“By all means let Australians who want to say stupid things to say stupid things but there’s no point importing troublemakers from overseas to stir people up,” the prime minister told 2GB.
“I am sorry we haven’t red-carded these hate preachers before but it will happen and it will happen quickly. We should have a system in place that red cards these hate preachers.”“I am sorry we haven’t red-carded these hate preachers before but it will happen and it will happen quickly. We should have a system in place that red cards these hate preachers.”
Jones raised concerns about a lecture scheduled for Friday in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba by the group Hizb ut-Tahrir. The radio host told the prime minister the group was banned in several countries that were “cauldrons of extremism”. Jones said people were angry that hate preachers were “walking all over us”.Jones raised concerns about a lecture scheduled for Friday in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba by the group Hizb ut-Tahrir. The radio host told the prime minister the group was banned in several countries that were “cauldrons of extremism”. Jones said people were angry that hate preachers were “walking all over us”.
Abbott said he understood why his host was frustrated and angry, and he was frustrated and angry himself – but his advice was the group could not be banned in Australia under “existing law”.Abbott said he understood why his host was frustrated and angry, and he was frustrated and angry himself – but his advice was the group could not be banned in Australia under “existing law”.
The prime minister said Australian law only allowed groups to be proscribed if they were terrorist organisations, not if they campaigned against “Australian values.”The prime minister said Australian law only allowed groups to be proscribed if they were terrorist organisations, not if they campaigned against “Australian values.”
“We are advised under existing law we can’t do it. The law is changing,” Abbott said. “At the moment we can only ban organisations that engage in terrorism. Under the law that we are bringing through the parliament hopefully before the end of the year it will be an offence to promote terrorism.“We are advised under existing law we can’t do it. The law is changing,” Abbott said. “At the moment we can only ban organisations that engage in terrorism. Under the law that we are bringing through the parliament hopefully before the end of the year it will be an offence to promote terrorism.
“Then I suppose we need to have another look at Hizb ut-Tahrir to see if they fall under the definition. I’ll need to get fresh legal advice once the law has changed.”“Then I suppose we need to have another look at Hizb ut-Tahrir to see if they fall under the definition. I’ll need to get fresh legal advice once the law has changed.”
The red card system for hate preachers flagged by Abbott on Wednesday morning appears to be a statement that the government will use the existing law to prevent people entering Australia. The prime minister said what he was talking about did not require a change in the law. The red card system for hate preachers flagged by Abbott on Wednesday morning appears to mean the government will use the existing law to prevent people entering Australia. The prime minister said what he was talking about did not require a change in the law.
At a later media conference in Sydney, Abbott said “all sorts of powers” were already available to the government to deal with the issues he had raised but “the important thing is to use them”.At a later media conference in Sydney, Abbott said “all sorts of powers” were already available to the government to deal with the issues he had raised but “the important thing is to use them”.
The prime minister said he envisaged “better coordination between our agencies”.The prime minister said he envisaged “better coordination between our agencies”.
“I say to people who want to come to this country from overseas to peddle their extremist ideology, to divide Australian from Australian, to give implicit, if not explicit support for terrorism, don’t bother applying,” he said at a media conference.“I say to people who want to come to this country from overseas to peddle their extremist ideology, to divide Australian from Australian, to give implicit, if not explicit support for terrorism, don’t bother applying,” he said at a media conference.
“Don’t try to come because while we welcome people who want to come to Australia to join our team, while we welcome people who want to come to Australia to visit relatives, to have a holiday, to explore our fantastic country, what we don’t want is people coming to this country to peddle an extreme and alien ideology.”“Don’t try to come because while we welcome people who want to come to Australia to join our team, while we welcome people who want to come to Australia to visit relatives, to have a holiday, to explore our fantastic country, what we don’t want is people coming to this country to peddle an extreme and alien ideology.”
Abbott said he “welcomed and rejoiced in the presence in this country of people of all faiths and none,” but that the threat to Australia was extremism and criminal behaviour.Abbott said he “welcomed and rejoiced in the presence in this country of people of all faiths and none,” but that the threat to Australia was extremism and criminal behaviour.
“No-one does Australia or indeed Islam any favours by conflating Islam with extremism,” he said. “No one does Australia or indeed Islam any favours by conflating Islam with extremism,” he said.
Earlier, Jones asked the prime minister why he wasn’t using existing provisions in the crimes act to suppress radical groups. “Why haven’t we heard more about the powers in the crimes act and the section that is headed treachery?” Jones inquired. Earlier, Jones asked the prime minister why he wasn’t using existing provisions in the crimes act to suppress radical groups. “Why haven’t we heard more about the powers in the Crimes Act and the section that is headed treachery?” Jones inquired.
“Well, that’s a very good question Alan, and I don’t know the answer to it,” Abbott told his host. “I rely as you can imagine on advice from officials and this is not a section of law that has been brought to my attention, but now that you’ve raised it I will ask them to see if that can’t be deployed against [groups] like Hizb ut-Tahrir.”“Well, that’s a very good question Alan, and I don’t know the answer to it,” Abbott told his host. “I rely as you can imagine on advice from officials and this is not a section of law that has been brought to my attention, but now that you’ve raised it I will ask them to see if that can’t be deployed against [groups] like Hizb ut-Tahrir.”
Abbott repeated the point that “we don’t want to import troublemakers to stir division in our society … who will effectively promote terrorism”.Abbott repeated the point that “we don’t want to import troublemakers to stir division in our society … who will effectively promote terrorism”.
“They are promoting the ideology that spawns terrorism.”“They are promoting the ideology that spawns terrorism.”
Jones was concerned about the military being told not to wear their uniforms in public because of the heightened domestic security concerns, and schoolchildren being told by teachers not to wear their cadet uniforms. “The prime minister has said be normal, get on with your life – now we have teenagers frightened to wear their cadet gear,” Jones said. A spokesman for Hizb ut-Tahrir, Uthman Badar, said the proposed move to ban the group “does not come as a surprise”.
The prime minister appeared not to know about instructions regarding cadet uniforms. “People should be able to go about their daily lives in this country safe in the knowledge we are a peaceful, tolerant broadly happy country,” he said. “We have long exposed government attempts to silence dissent against its unjust and brutal foreign policies and here we now see moves to legalise this silencing of dissent,” he said in a statement.He said Friday’s lecture sought “to elucidate the reality of US foreign policy with regards [to] Syria” and featured no speakers from overseas.
“Evidently, the prime minister is not interested in facts when seeking to silence political dissent or whip up Islamophobic hysteria,” he said.
Jones was also concerned about the military being told not to wear their uniforms in public because of the heightened domestic security concerns, and schoolchildren being told by teachers not to wear their cadet uniforms. “The prime minister has said be normal, get on with your life – now we have teenagers frightened to wear their cadet gear,” Jones said.
The prime minister appeared not to know about instructions regarding cadet uniforms. “People should be able to go about their daily lives in this country safe in the knowledge we are a peaceful, tolerant, broadly happy country,” he said.
Jones urged: “So say something to these kids about their cadet gear.”Jones urged: “So say something to these kids about their cadet gear.”
Abbott said he knew nothing about this issue. “I haven’t written any such letters.Abbott said he knew nothing about this issue. “I haven’t written any such letters.
“My advice,” he said, “is people should go about their normal lives.”“My advice,” he said, “is people should go about their normal lives.”