Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Clearly, there are members of Mr Morrison's own party who are either unclear or uncomfortable with the ban of West African refugees, as announced by the minister this week. And why was this ban announced, Madam Acting Deputy President? Let me spell it out for you. This is a minister who was firstly anti-boats. Then he was anti-Middle East. Now he is anti-West African. This is a minister who is doing everything he can to keep people who need help from ever being able to reach Australia. The question is: what do these groups of people have in common? I will not venture a guess. But I think it is important to remember what Scott Morrison, the immigration minister, once urged his party room to do. He asked them: why don't we capitalise on what he referred to as the growing anti-Muslim feeling in Australia? That is what I believe is at the core of this baseless, heartless, cruel decision to ban West African refugees.