Australian PM Defends Immigration Amid Anti-Immigration Protests

(MENAFN) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the nation’s immigration policy on Monday, emphasizing its long-standing benefits in the face of growing anti-immigration sentiment following far-right rallies held across the country over the weekend.

"There's always been an element of people who would appeal to any immigration as a platform. But migration has of course brought a great deal of benefit to our nation," Albanese stated to media.

His remarks come in response to coordinated protests organized by far-right groups in major cities, including Melbourne and Sydney. Among the demonstrators were members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network, who used inflammatory slogans such as “Hail White Australia.”

While acknowledging that “some demonstrators were ‘good people’ who expressed legitimate concerns,” Albanese also warned of dangerous rhetoric being normalized. “What we have here is neo-Nazis being given a platform," he said.

Describing the overall tone of the rallies as “unfortunate,” the prime minister added that, in more extreme instances, the messaging was openly “hateful.”

“The idea that an open neo-Nazi was able to give a speech from the steps of the Victorian Parliament is something that isn't the Australian way,” he stated.

Rejecting the notion that the protests represent mainstream opinion, Albanese reiterated that modern Australia is defined by its inclusivity. He said the country has “benefited from our multiculturalism, that overwhelmingly people live in harmony of different ethnicities, different religions, different backgrounds, and we're enriched by the diversity in this country.”

The weekend protests, marked by racial slogans and far-right symbolism, have sparked concern among civil society groups and political leaders about the resurgence of extremist ideologies in public discourse.

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