Peter Dutton has accused the national broadcaster of failing to understand why the Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah, is listed by Australia as a terrorist organisation in a terse press conference where the opposition leader rebuked an ABC reporter for her questions.
Melbourne and Sydney protesters at weekend rallies held Hezbollah flags and portraits of its assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah, prompting Dutton to demand prosecutions of those displaying terrorist symbols.
At the press conference, ABC reporter Anushri Sood put to Dutton that some groups considered the laws hypocritical because, she said, Israel’s actions had resulted in 45,000 deaths and its flag was still allowed.
Dutton responded: “Israel is a democracy. It’s not run by a terrorist organisation. Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation. They’re a listed terrorist organisation. And if people are in favour of a terrorist organisation, they should declare it, and authorities should deal with them.”
In a question only partly audible, Sood then appeared to ask why Hezbollah was listed as a terrorist organisation. Dutton asked Sood which organisation she was from. The ABC, Sood replied.
“You asked about the listing of the organisation. I just didn’t understand that question, is this a question from Canberra [federal politics reporters]?” Dutton said. Sood said it was not.
The opposition leader repeatedly cut off the young reporter to tell her to repeat the question in its original form.
“No, you asked the question about the listings … just ask that question again,” he said, brusquely.
Sood said her question was: “If you could just explain what determines something is a terrorist organisation?”
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