PM emphasises Australia’s ‘nondiscriminatory immigration program’ but says ‘it is not my job ... to run a commentary on the domestic policies of other countries’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Malcolm Turnbull has refused to comment on Donald Trump’s contentious ban on travel by people from a group of Muslim-majority nations, labelling it the “domestic policy” of another country.

But the prime minister did reiterate Australia’s commitment to multiculturalism and a nondiscriminatory immigration program.

While there have been chaotic scenes at US airports since the ban took effect, at a media conference in Canberra on Monday, Turnbull downplayed the impact of Trump’s executive order, saying the Australian government had not yet had any reports of dual citizens being denied entry to the US.

US travel ban - a brief guide The executive order signed by Donald Trump suspends the entire US refugee admissions system, already one of the most rigorous in the world, for 120 days. It also suspends the Syrian refugee program indefinitely, and bans entry to the US to people from seven majority-Muslim countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – for 90 days. The order has prompted a series of legal challenges, while thousands of Americans have protested outside airports and courthouses in solidarity with Muslims and migrants.

But the foreign minister, Julie Bishop revealed later on Monday the Australian government was seeking an exemption from the travel ban for dual citizens.

The US has given both the United Kingdom and Canada an exemption from the controversial ban.

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Turnbull told reporters he and Trump had spoken on Sunday, and he confirmed reports that Australia had secured Trump’s agreement to honour the deal to resettle refugees held on Manus Island and Nauru, which was negotiated under the Obama administration.

“We discussed the importance of border security,” Turnbull said. “The threat of illegal and irregular migration, and recognised that it is vital that every nation is able to control who comes across its borders.”

Asked about the travel ban – which has sparked protests, a legal challenge and criticism in the US and internationally – Turnbull dead batted, saying: “It is not my job, as prime minister of Australia, to run a commentary on the domestic policies of other countries.”

While the major parties normally prioritise bipartisanship on foreign affairs matters, the Labor leader Bill Shorten branded Trump’s travel ban “appalling” and he declared Turnbull needed to show leadership.

Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) It's time for leadership. pic.twitter.com/Dn8sajILG2

Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, Penny Wong, meanwhile wrote to the government to ask if the travel ban applies to Australian dual citizens, and sought “clarification” on the government’s position on the ban itself.

She noted that the terms of the order implied dual citizens would be affected but Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, had said Canadian dual nationals will be exempt.

“I seek your advice on what representations the government has made to the US administration on behalf of these Australians, and confirmation on whether the executive order applies to Australian dual nationals,” Wong wrote.

In a response to Wong and Guardian Australia, Bishop said: “I have directed our officials in Washington DC to work with US officials to ensure any preferential treatment extended to any other country in relation to travel and entry to the United States is extended to Australia.”

Earlier, during his press conference in Canberra, when asked to comment on the executive order, given that it may affect Australian dual nationals, Turnbull said: “We have not seen any cases of it so doing.”

“As the foreign minister’s spokesman said this morning, our embassy is engaging with US officials on this subject.

“But at this stage, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not had any consular assistance requests from Australians unable to board.

“If those issues arise in respect of Australian citizens, we will, and we are, taking up that issue with the administration.”

Asked whether the US policy was discriminatory, Turnbull said: “Our values are very well-known – our commitment to multiculturalism, our commitment to a nondiscriminatory immigration program is very well-known.

“That’s where we stand. That’s our policy – but our borders are secure.”

Turnbull said Australia’s border security arrangements were “the envy of the world” because they helped keep terrorists out of Australia.

“If others wish to emulate what we’re doing, they’re welcome to do so,” he said, echoing comments earlier in the day from the treasurer and former immigration minister, Scott Morrison, that the rest of the world was now “catching up” with Australia’s harsh deterrence policies.

On Sunday Australia’s trade minister, Steve Ciobo, said he would not support a Trump-style ban and nor would most Australians.

In an interview with Sky News on Monday, the education minister, Simon Birmingham, repeated Turnbull’s formulation that the executive order was a US policy but Australia had a nondiscriminatory immigration program of which its people “should be proud”.

Morrison did not address the principle of nondiscrimination in his interview on 2GB Radio on Monday.

Birmingham rebuked his Coalition colleague George Christensen, who told Guardian Australia on Sunday that he would like to see a total ban on Australia’s humanitarian intake and a Trump-style ban from countries that had a high level of violent extremism.

Christensen repeated those arguments on Sky News on Monday, but NSW Liberal backbencher Trent Zimmerman – an influential moderate – was critical of the Trump travel ban.

Zimmerman said the world looked to the US to be a beacon of tolerance and diversity. “What I’d say as an individual is that I share a lot of the concerns that have been raised in the United States over the past week,” Zimmerman said.

He said the “chaotic” implementation of the executive order had caused unnecessary grief. “We need America to be a beacon for democracy, for tolerance, and the type of values that we want all other countries to uphold.”

“I think the US government has to look at its own actions through that prism, and the type of message it is sending around the world.”



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Turnbull refused to give further details of the refugee deal, of which much is still unknown, including how many people will be resettled.



He said the US screening process – which is already under way, with US officials visiting Manus Island and Nauru – would be “very thorough” and would take “some time”.

The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, said the US had the ultimate say in who it accepted under the resettlement deal, subject to its own screening.

He said the Australian government was aware that “people smugglers are trying to pitch to people to pay money to hop on to boats so that they can eventually end up in the US”.