Zali Steggall has doubled down on calling Peter Dutton’s stance about not letting any Palestinians into Australia “inherently racist.”

Steggall first called the policy racist in the House of Representatives during a heated debate last week. She then reiterated her comments this morning in an ABC RN Breakfast interview.

“We see policies that are inherently racist and they’re designed to foster fear and hatred of a minority group,” she said.

“The fear of the consequences of calling out means that the policy itself doesn’t get examined and called out, and that’s just bullying and intimidation.”

last week, Dutton called out Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for not putting a pause on visa applications from Palestinians trying to escape Gaza. Dutton said he did not want to let any possible Hamas supporters into the country, and labelled it a “national security risk.”

“This is not against people of a particular political persuasion. This is about keeping our country safe,” he said.

“Anthony Albanese has failed the Australian public and he should stand condemned.”

Prime Minster Albanese has not commented on if he believes that Dutton’s policy is racist but has said on ABC’s AM that he thinks the Coalition leader is causing a divide within the country.

“I think Peter Dutton is deeply divisive and well that creates a risk to the nation,” Albanese said.

“Peter Dutton knows full well that the same security agencies, indeed, the same personnel, in many cases, are looking after national security issues. If he doesn’t have confidence in them, he should say so.”

Photo: by U.S. Secretary of Defense is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons Licence. This image has not been modified.