While the precise details of his policy position are sparse – some have described it as a captain’s call made with the pressure of a press microphone in his face – it does sound like he is proposing a blanket ban on entry to Australia of Palestinians fleeing the Gaza conflict.
At times, Dutton has said his ban would apply to ‘all arrivals from Gaza’. At other times, he seems to have confined this to ‘refugees’ from Gaza. At other times he has expressed concern about people from Gaza being granted visitor or other visas because, allegedly, not all visa applicants are being interviewed face to face.
Has Australia turned its back on assisting people fleeing war/conflict? By Abul Rizvi, P&I