Malcolm Turnbull rejects Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim policy

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has reportedly rejected Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim policy. He said discrimination serves no good in defeating the terrorists.

Turnbull “entirely” opposed a remark by the senator who previously said Australian Muslims have to be treated with suspicion. “Which is the good one?’ You can’t tell a good Muslim from a bad one,” she had told the Nine Network.

But the Australian leader believes that the vast majority of Australian Muslims are “patriotic, hardworking, seeking to get ahead, committed to peacefully living in Australia and abiding by our laws”. Turnbull was in Jakarta to advance joint actions with the moderate Islamic nations against threats in security.

“Indonesia is proof that Islam, democracy and moderation are compatible,” he quoted President Joko Widodo. He added that the majority of Muslims currently residing in the Land Down Under are “utterly appalled by extremists” and by violent extremism by terrorism.

Turnbull had also opposed Hanson’s comments about Vladimir Putin. "I respect the man. He is very patriotic towards his country, the people love him, he is doing so well for the country,” the senator told the ABC's Insiders program. She said several Australians want the kind of leadership that Putin offers.

But for Turnbull, Putin is not worth of admiration. He said Putin is responsible for the "shocking international crime" of shooting down the MH17 airliner. The incident has taken away the lives of 298 people, including 38 Australian citizens.

Furthermore, the One Nation leader questions the safety of child vaccinations. She urges parents to "do their own research" and "make an informed decision".

Parents are being required by the federal government to vaccinate their children to be granted with certain family payments and childcare benefits. The prime minister reportedly said the policy has resulted to an extra 200,000 vaccinations in 2016.

Turnbull maintained that vaccination is vital for the health of the children and of the nation. He said it is an essential health objective to aim for 100 percent vaccination.

But Hanson believes that such policy is blackmailing and a dictatorship. "What I don't like about it is the blackmailing that's happening with the government. Don't do that to people. That's a dictatorship," Sydney Morning Herald has quoted her saying.

Meanwhile, the senator has backed up the decision to cut the Sunday penalty rates of retail, hospitality and fast-food workers. She said she’s “hoping to give small businesses a chance for growth.”