Conservative Party leader Cory Bernardi has defended distributing a flyer in the Victorian seat of Kooyong calling for a crackdown on “Islamic extremism”, less than a week after the New Zealand mosque massacre.
The New Daily reports, the flyer, which was produced more than a month ago, was delivered to letterboxes in the safe Liberal seat in Melbourne this week.
A spokesman for Senator Bernadi confirmed the flyer was printed long before the Friday attacks, but that he has no plans to withdraw it.
In it, Senator Bernardi promises the Australian Conservatives will “fight to ease the pressure on the cost of living, keep our country safe and protect our Australian values”.
“There are important matters that confront our country. They impact on our cultural, economic and our social interests,” he said today.
The handout also states “Labor and the Greens can’t be trusted with our national security” – and pledges that the Australian Conservatives will “clamp down on Islamic extremism”.
“Events may change the approach of the shamelessly opportunistic players but we are committed to a principled and consistent policy platform,” Senator Bernardi said.
“That includes protecting our way of life and keeping Australians safe at home and abroad. The events of Christchurch touch our conscience and our humanity but have nothing to do with Australia’s political system,” he concluded.
