Politics

Turnbull ‘retracts’ Dutton’s white farmer plea

Apr 03, 2018

PM Malcolm Turnbull (left) has reportedly retracted Dutton's comments. Source: Getty.

South Africa has thanked Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop, claiming they have retracted Peter Dutton’s controversial comments on “persecuted” white farmers.

The Home Affairs Minister recently revealed his wish to fast-track visas for “hard-working” white farmers in South Africa, whether that be with refugee, humanitarian or other visas, amid apparent land seizures and violence.

“If you see the footage and read the stories, it’s a horrific circumstance that they face, and Australia has a refugee and humanitarian program as well as a number of other visa programs where we have the potential to help some of these people that are being persecuted,” he told Miranda Devine on her podcast at the time.

The South African government later slammed his plea in a blistering statement, before demanding an apology from the minister. While he has failed to make a public apology, the Pretoria government claimed on Tuesday that Turnbull and Bishop did it for him – by retracting his statements completely.

“We welcome the assurance by the Australian government as reported in the media that the comments made by their Home Affairs Minister are not in line with Australian immigration policy. We also welcome Australia’s condemnation of the unfortunate comments by South African and other international organisations and leaders,” South Africa’s International Relations Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said.

https://twitter.com/janeenorman/status/980964896161513472

The minister added: “We must emphasise, as we have stated before, that no-one is being persecuted in South Africa, including white farmers. We call upon all non-governmental organisations to desist from spreading untruths and misleading information.”

The statement went on to insist the country will “arrive at solutions” on land redistribution “without violating anyone’s rights”.

It comes after Dutton told Devine he has called on his department to look for ways they could offer “assistance”.

“People need help, and they need help from a civilised country like ours,” he said. “More importantly than that, they want to work hard, they want to contribute to a country like Australia… We want people that come here and abide by our laws, integrate into our society, work hard, not lead a life on welfare, and I think these people deserve special attention.”

South Africa responded at the time with an angry statement, saying: “There is no reason for any Government anywhere in the world to suspect that any South African is in danger from their own democratically elected Government. That threat simply does not exist.”

Bishop later spoke out on Dutton’s comments, and appearing on ABC’s Insiders, clarified the farmers wouldn’t be given special treatment over others hoping to enter Australia.

However, she agreed with Dutton when he said that violence rates in South Africa were on the rise.

“Australia does monitor the rate of violent crime in South Africa, and there has been a dramatic increase in recent years,” she explained on the show. “Last year there were about 19,000 murders in South Africa, and that’s a very high number for a country of that size.”

Bishop clarified there is a humanitarian visa program available for people who feel they are in severe danger, but said it would be considered on merits and not skin colour.

“I believe the humanitarian program’s credibility comes from the fact that it is non-discriminatory and that each application is assessed on its merits,” she explained. “That’s been the case under the Turnbull Government, and as far as I’m aware, there are no plans to change that visa program.”

She also declined to comment when asked whether she believed white South African farmers would make better citizens than other immigrants. “There are many South Africans in my own electorate of Curtin, and they make a great contribution to life in Australia, as do so many immigrants from all around the world, they make an incredible contribution to the peace, stability and prosperity of our nation,” she clarified.