Frydenberg defends Aust immigration

Josh Frydenberg has defended Australia's immigration policy for its "humanitarian" approach while also finding holes in attacks on Donald Trump's visa bans.

Liberal minister Josh Frydenberg has pointed to Australia's "non-discriminatory" approach to immigration while commenting on Donald Trump's controversial visa bans.

Mr Frydenberg said Australia disagreed with the US president's "protectionist agenda", but also called out what he described as "double standards" surrounding the temporary ban on seven Muslim-majority nations into the United States.

"(British Prime Minister) Theresa May has pointed out in the British parliament there are 16 countries, including six of those seven, that don't allow Israelis ever to visit their country. There are some double standards here that we have to call out," he told ABC's Q&A program.

He also says Australia has a "proud humanitarian program".

"We get demonised as a coalition for our immigration policy when, in reality, we take more people on a per capita basis from a resettlement from the UNHCR than any other nation in the world."


Share

1 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world