A Labor backbencher has questioned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's suggestion that some 'good people' attended anti-immigration rallies over the weekend, amid internal unease about the remarks. Mary Doyle, the MP for the Melbourne seat of Aston, raised the issue during a closed-door caucus meeting on Tuesday, according to multiple Labor MPs.
Albanese had told the ABC on Monday that while the rallies gave a platform to neo-Nazis, 'good people' were also present. 'There's always good people will turn up to demonstrate their views about particular issues. But what we have here is neo-Nazis being given a platform,' he said. At the caucus meeting, Albanese reiterated that not all protesters were neo-Nazis, warning against tarring everyone with the same brush.
Doyle then spoke up, asking 'where do we draw the line?' after noting that 'bad things did happen at the rally,' according to one MP's recollection. Several other MPs reportedly felt uneasy about Albanese's language but did not speak. The exchange was seen as significant given recent caucus meetings have seen few backbench questions to ministers.
Albanese also faced questions about far-right extremists who gatecrashed a press conference by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday. He called the reports 'horrific' and expressed shock at seeing far-right activists 'openly in uniform' at the weekend rallies. He stressed the need to call out such behaviour and to reach out to affected communities, including Jewish and Indian Australians.
