Politicians have united to denounce Senator Fraser Anning's "racist" maiden speech in the Senate on Tuesday.
Senator Anning, of the Katter's Australia Party, said Australia should ban Muslims from settling in the country and hold a plebiscite on whether to return to a European-only immigration system.
Here is how both sides of politics responded:
Malcolm Turnbull - Prime Minister of Australia
"Senator Anning's remarks are appalling, I condemn them and I reject them in
their entirety," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
"We have a responsibility as political leaders to call it out and fight
against what is effectively a fascist view of the world."
He told parliament: "The reference in Senator Anning's speech to the 'Final Solution' is a shocking, shocking insult to the memory of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust."
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Source: AAP
Bill Shorten - Leader of the Opposition
"I do not like seeing majorities pick on minorities, that is not the Australian
way," Mr Shorten told parliament on Wednesday.
"The simple truth is this - we are a stronger, better country because of all of those who've come across the seas and joined their story to ours."
Tony Burke MP - Shadow Minister for Multicultural Australia & Citizenship
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Fraser Anning's controversial first speech cannot be ignored. (AAP) Source: AAP
“Don’t give them what they want. That’s a question that you always ask when there is an appalling speech. Don’t give them what they want. They want to incite a debate and the debate when it happens when you hit back is exactly what they might have hoped for. But there has to be a point when this parliament says enough," he told parliament.
"If we haven't reached that point tonight, then for some of us then, there is apparently no limit. In the other place (the Senate) Senator Anning has just delivered his first speech and in giving the sort of bile that we get from time-to-time against Muslim Australians he's decided to invoke the term 'final solution'.
"Another speech belittling Australians, another speech dividing the nation, another speech wanting to incite debate, and those who have thought that maybe the best thing is to not give them what they want? I say if we continue to hold back they got exactly what they want. Muslim Australians, African Australians, Chinese Australians, when you invoke the Final Solution Jewish Australians in the same way as in years gone by Greek Australians and Italian Australians have been the subjects of prejudice the bigotory of today is no different to the bigotory of yesterday.
“The bipartisanship against it that we had in years gone by we don’t have right now and it must return.
"The words that happened in the other place are not the words of a proud Australian. They are the words of people who hate modern Australia, people who hate who we are as Australians."
Alan Tudge MP - Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
"Fraser Anning’s comments on immigration do not reflect the views of the Government nor the views of fair minded Australians. We will always maintain a non-discriminatory immigration program," Mr Tudge tweeted.
Penny Wong - Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
"Last night we saw from Fraser Anning a speech that did not reflect the heart of this nation. A speech that did not reflect who we are. A speech that did not reflect the strong, proud multicultural country that we are, a country that has been built by people from all over the world and it did not reflect Australian values," Ms Wong told reporters in Canberra.
"It reflected a time that we have moved on from, and it reflected division and prejudice. It was not a speech of which he can be proud. It was not a speech that was worthy of the Parliament of Australia.
"But I don’t want to talk today about Fraser Anning. He’s got a lot of attention. I’d like to talk today about Malcolm Turnbull. Malcolm Turnbull is a man who says – and I believe him – that he is opposed to racism and prejudice. Malcolm Turnbull is a man who says he supports multiculturalism," she said.
Linda Burney MP- Shadow Minister for Human Services
"Fraser Anning's speech was reprehensible. The Australian story is long and rich, not narrow and simple. It's about its original inhabitants, the migrants who came after, and the contribution we all have to make to this country," Ms Burney tweeted.
Jihad Dib MP - Labor Member for Lakemba, Shadow Minister for Education
File image of Shadow Minister for Human Services Linda Burney. Source: AAP
"When politicians use race for cheap political point scoring, overt racism becomes normalised. This is not normal and we cannot we let it slide. He knew exactly what he was doing! Disgusting and divisive."
Derryn Hinch - Senator Victoria
"This is a myopic red-neck reaching out from another time to another people.
Modern Australia has moved on."
“I felt like I was trapped in Ku Klux Klan rally," he said of Senator Anning's speech.
Anthony Albanese - Federal Member for Grayndler, Shadow Minister for Transport & Infrastructure
"Fraser Anning has been given the opportunity to apologise and he has doubled down. This must be called out for what it is, it’s ugly and it’s unacceptable. We should not have any truck with calls for discrimination on the basis of race," Mr Albanese tweeted.
Dr Tim Soutphommasane - Race Discrimination Commissioner
"Good to see so many rejecting the White Australia racism and the "final solution" rhetoric of Fraser Anning. An especially strong speech from @Tony_Burke on the Reps floor last night. Time for some political leadership on race. And time for all fair-minded citizens to speak out"
