2020-06-03
Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, has today called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to stop being subservient to Donald Trump and instead call out his moves towards fascism and support of white supremacy.
“In the United States they are assaulting Australian journalists, teargassing peaceful protestors for a presidential photo-op and Donald Trump is threatening to use the military against his own people, but Scott Morrison is silent,” Mr Bandt said.
“Donald Trump is acting like a fascist, not a democratic leader. Donald Trump has long espoused authoritarianism and thinly veiled white supremacy which has become more blatant by the day.”
“As Donald Trump brutalises his own people, Scott Morrison joins him on sycophantic late night phone calls to discuss trade matters and special invites to international meetings.
“Scott Morrison must speak up for democracy and freedom.
“We can’t allow our typical subservience to the United States to continue through this crisis.
“Morrison should use every opportunity from now until the upcoming G7 Summit to call out Donald Trump’s failure to tackle racial injustice and his dictatorial attacks on free speech and peaceful protest.
“Just over a month ago, Scott Morrison said that a country’s sovereignty is determined by its people’s ‘capacity and freedom to live our lives as we choose in a free, open and democratic society’”.
“By the Prime Minister’s own definition, the United States is now asserting sovereignty without freedom and thus risks no longer meeting the basic standards of a democracy. As responsible global citizens, we can’t let these injustices go unrecognised and unchecked.
“History will judge Australia’s leaders for how we react to this crisis. So far, Scott Morrison has shown absolutely no willingness to intervene in what could be a defining moment of this century.”