The Liberal National Party’s George Christensen has called for immigration to be restricted from countries where violent extremism is prevalent, telling Federal Parliament many recent immigrants do not share Australian values.

Malcolm Turnbull has repeatedly described Australia as the most successful multicultural nation on earth.

A day after the One Nation leader Pauline Hanson advocated a ban on Muslim immigration, Mr Christensen told Parliament he was concerned about “the rise of Islamism in this country and those who are willing to commit violence in the name of that ideology”.

“I think we should consider some tighter controls on borders such as restricting immigration from countries where there is a high prevalence of violent extremism and radicalism.”
George Christensen

He said many immigrants in recent years did not share what he called “Australian values”.

“Why did they choose to come to Australia in the first place?” he asked the House of Representatives.

“There are other countries that they would find less offensive, countries where they could enjoy a similar level of oppression and violence to which they are accustomed, which they obviously want.

“It is not necessary to travel half way around the world to come to Australia and demand that Australians change their culture, their society and their laws to match those of their former homeland.”

Turnbull warns on demonising all Muslims

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has warned One Nation and his own outspoken backbencher George Christensen that demonising all Muslims is playing into the hands of extremist groups.

“Tagging all Muslims with the crimes of a few is fundamentally wrong and it’s also counter-productive,” Mr Turnbull told commercial radio station 3AW.

“Seeking to demonise or denigrate all Muslims or seek to alienate all Muslims and suggest they’re somehow not part of Australia or shouldn’t be in Australia, that is exactly what the extremists and terrorists are saying to the Muslim community.”

Mr Turnbull said it was in the national interest to say “we are the most successful multi-cultural society in the world, Australian Muslims are part of that successful multicultural society”.

Christensen calls for anti-terror law reform

Mr Christensen also called for anti-terror laws to be taken a step further.

“Those who do not hold dual citizenship but have the capacity to become citizens of another country should have their Australian citizenship revoked and be advised to seek alternative residency arrangements,” he said.

Senator Hanson’s said in her first speech Sharia law should not be allowed, and Mr Chistensen told Parliament he was also worried about it.

“Sharia is not a religion and for that matter neither is Islamism. In this country there is no freedom to pick and choose which laws you obey,” he said.

Sharia law officers in Indonesia punish a woman accused of cheating on her husband by whipping her on stage in public this month. Photo: Getty

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese emphasised that Australia had a bipartisan agreement on a non-discriminatory immigration policy.

“We live in a harmonious society. We should cherish it, we should ensure that we are very proud of it and we should oppose any attempt to divide us as a community,” Mr Albanese told AM.

Mr Christensen earlier had a political victory when the Government changed its superannuation plans and he withdrew his threat to cross the floor.

Mr Albanese said Mr Christensen seemed to be wielding power within the Government.

“We have some fringe elements who are a part of a mainstream political party now in Australia and it is of concern,” he said.

“Some of these fringe elements appear to have undue influence in Malcolm Turnbull’s Government.”

– ABC