People Are Angry Third Generation Muslims Have Been Linked To Terror-Related Crime

    Dutton doubles down.

    Mark Di Stefano
    by Mark Di Stefano

    BuzzFeed News Political Editor, Australia

    Immigration minister Peter Dutton has insisted that terrorism-related crime is an immigration issue because the majority of people who have been charged recently have Lebanese-Muslim parents or grandparents born overseas.

    Mick Tsikas / AAPIMAGE

    On Monday, Dutton defended his previous attack on former prime minister Malcolm Fraser's decision to "let in" some migrants in the 1970s, by reporting that the majority of people recently charged with terrorism offences are second or third generation migrants.

    "The advice I have is that out of the last 33 people who have been charged with terrorist related offences in this country, 22 of those people are from second and third generation Lebanese-Muslim background," Dutton told the parliament.

    "I’m not going to allow [people] who are hard working, who have done the right thing by this country, who have contributed, who have worked hard, who have educated their children, I’m not going to allow those people to be defined by those people who are doing the wrong thing and have been charged with terrorist offences or have been involved in crime otherwise."

    The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2011 show that 5.3 million (27%) of the population are first generation migrants, with more than half of the country being second and third generation migrants.

    In the aftermath of Question Time, Labor MPs were scathing of Dutton's remarks.

    Tim Watts MP @TimWattsMP

    Dutton talks about "People from a second or third generation Lebanese-Muslim background" AKA Australians. AKA Grandchildren of migrants

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    Tim Watts MP @TimWattsMP

    What is the characteristic of this group that makes Dutton think of this as an immigration issue, rather than a law enforcement issue?

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    Andrew Giles MP @andrewjgiles

    Minister Dutton is determined to demonise and divide Australians, he's unfit to hold his office #qt

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    Graham Perrett @GrahamPerrettMP

    Dutton now calling on migrants to screen their future great-grandchildren for pre-crimes. He dog-whistles so often our canines are deaf. #QT

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    Last week, the federal government announced an inquiry into migration issues and gang-related crime.