Albanese tests Opposition on One Nation deals amid Islamophobia report response

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a direct challenge to Opposition leader Angus Taylor, demanding he rule out any future political deals with the anti-immigration One Nation party. Albanese stated that Opposition leader Taylor should reverse course on adopting "One Nation-lite" policies and return to the center of politics.

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The test for Angus Taylor is: Will he rule out preference deals and arrangements with One Nation going forward?

Albanese made the comments while launching his government's official response to a report on combating Islamophobia. The government accepted 35 of the 54 recommendations from the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik. The report was submitted 10 months ago.

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The Liberal Party at that time disendorsed Ms Hanson and dissociated themselves from her and indeed then refused to give preferences to One Nation.

The prime minister's remarks came after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's recent controversial comments about Muslims and the end of the White Australia policy in a podcast with far-right UK figure Tommy Robinson. Hanson lamented the end of the White Australia policy, questioning Australia's current migrant demographics and claiming people in 'Muslim areas' were exploiting the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

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We're quite used to that dog-whistling racist rhetoric now. It's beyond being alarmed.

Albanese addressed Hanson's comments, noting that the dismantling of the White Australia policy began in the 1960s under Liberal Prime Minister Harold Holt, and was a bipartisan position. He also highlighted that the Liberal Party had previously disendorsed Hanson. Gamel Kheir from the Lebanese Muslim Association described Hanson's rhetoric as "dog-whistling racist rhetoric" and stated, "It's beyond being alarmed."

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The movement away from the White Australia policy wasn't just the Labor government of Gough Whitlam, it was actually a bipartisan position that began in the 1960s. That was a good thing, a good thing.