Peter Dutton Is Lecturing Someone On ‘Compassion’ And I Just Overdosed On Irony
I will not be lectured to on compassion by that man. I will not.
When you hear the words “Peter Dutton”, certain other words come to mind. You may think of words like “evil”, or “monstrous”, but one word that is highly unlikely to jump out is “compassion”. Dutton is, after all, the man in charge of Australia’s immigration detention system, which has been likened to torture.
And yet, the Home Affairs minister went on Today this morning and actually managed to accuse someone else of lacking compassion. He was talking about Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her decision to keep Queensland’s border closed to interstate travellers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peter Dutton has attacked the Queensland Premier’s “lack of compassion” in her handling of border control. #9News pic.twitter.com/VXJRQLBk0U
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) October 1, 2020
Which is all well and good, except it’s not really true. There have been many border exemptions for people seeking medical treatment, and polls have consistently showed that border closures are popular with voters.
Palaszcuk’s decision to keep the borders closed is certainly controversial, particularly as new COVID-19 cases in Sydney and Melbourne dwindle to almost zero. Critics say Palaszczuk’s policy is more about winning the upcoming Queensland state election on October 31, and they’re probably right, but the idea that Peter Dutton gets to lecture anyone about compassion is a bit of a joke.
After all, Dutton is the guy who’s keeping a family of asylum seekers locked up on Christmas Island, despite their local community begging for them to be returned. He also referred to the children of that family as “anchor babies”. Peter Dutton is the guy who joked about the effects of climate change on low-lying pacific nations. And Peter Dutton is the guy who reckons “illiterate” refugees will take Australians’ jobs.
Unsurprisingly, the comments haven’t gone down too well with people who, y’know, know who Peter Dutton is.
Sick joke of the week – Peeter Dutton today on radio accusing Annastacia Palaszczuk of not having compassion re borders. This is the gutless grub who gets his jollies by locking little girls up on Xmas island. His mother must be proud of this drone. #auspol
— Tony Koch (@TonyKoc69285191) October 1, 2020
I spoke too soon about Spud “Trump Clone” Dutton. Oh gormless 1 this morning on Today accusing @AnnastaciaMP of lacking compassion. This is coming from the guy who gets a thrill out of torturing the Bilo family and refugees. This is the guy who spinelessly attacked Ali France.
— 💧🌱Michael Springer (@MichaelSpring17) October 1, 2020
Exactly how much tax-payer money is Dutton spending keeping a family of four on Christmas Island?
Dutton wouldn't know what compassion was if it bit him on the arse.
— Robert Hudson (@manaz_d) October 1, 2020
When Peter Dutton complains about a “lack of compassion” remember that he let a child’s teeth to rot in her mouth until they needed to be surgically removed while doing everything he could to deport her family
— Joshua Badge (@joshuabadge) October 2, 2020
So anyway, let’s not let Peter Dutton lecture us on compassion.