There has been an outpouring of grief and support to New Zealand from all around the world in the days following the Christchurch mosque shootings on March 15.
Following the attack, Greens leader Richard Di Natale and NSW senator Mehreen Faruqi renewed calls to install an official parliamentary code of conduct to address any hate speeches from elected officials, with Di Natale calling out Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton for his past comments suggesting it was a mistake to resettle many Lebanese migrants in Australia.
Politicians like Peter Dutton, who said settling Lebanese Muslims was a mistake, contributed to this. When media outlets like SKY News ran footage of a killer whose intent was to magnify a message of hate, they contributed to this.
— Richard Di Natale (@RichardDiNatale) March 17, 2019
After catching wind of those comments, ol’ mate Dutton wasn’t too happy about being called out and immediately clapped back by calling Di Natale and Faruqi as part of the “extreme left” who are “as bad in these circumstances” as Fraser Anning.
For those who are unaware, Anning released an absolutely atrocious statement following the Christchurch terror attack in which he blamed New Zealand’s immigration policy for causing white nationalists to attack two mosques, killing 50 and wounding several others.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on @RNBreakfast: "I'm hardly going to take morals lectures from the extreme left who are, frankly, as bad in these circumstances as Fraser Anning."
— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) March 17, 2019
Mr Dutton also said Greens senators Richard Di Natale and Mehreen Faruqi were as bad as Fraser Anning because all were seeking to exploit the Christchurch terror attack for political advantage.
— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) March 17, 2019
Comparing the “extreme left” to far-right folk like Anning is like comparing the speed of an F1 car to how much water is in a swimming pool. Those two things are simply not the same and the “blame both sides” argument carries no weight here, despite what Dutton thinks and is desperately trying to peddle to the public.
Di Natale has since clapped back at Dutton, vowing to hold him and “all voices of hate to account.”
We won’t be silenced @PeterDutton_MP Your hateful rhetoric has consequences and we will hold you and all the voices of hate to account. https://t.co/YxyXicLAnR
— Richard Di Natale (@RichardDiNatale) March 17, 2019
And Dutton’s line about using Christchurch for a political advantage?
That’s kinda the pot calling the kettle black for ol’ mate there, but we shouldn’t be too surprised at this point given his recent track record of embarrassing himself with whatever he does or says.