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Prime Minister slams Pauline Hanson’s anti-Islam video

This was "not a time to be pursuing political agendas", agreed the Treasurer.

The prime minister has slammed Pauline Hanson’s video in which she calls for a Muslim ban.

Mr Turnbull told 3AW radio her policies are dangerous and goes against Australian values.

“If the problem is terrorism, policies like that would only make it worse,” he said.

“The object of the terrorist, the Islamist terrorist, is to get the broader society to turn on Muslims at large.

“Their recruiting message to Muslims and Australian Muslims is to say ‘this country doesn’t really want you, you’re not really Australian, they all hate you’.

“Inciting hatred against any part of the Australian community is always dangerous. It undermines the mutual respect that we have in our community.

“If you seek to attribute to all Australian Muslims or all Muslims responsibility for the crimes of ISIL [Islamic State in the Levant], then you are doing what ISIL wants.

That is the classic strategy of the terrorist and it has been forever.”

Ms Hanson’s office clarified her video was advocating her existing policies, which recommend a Muslim immigration and an investigation as to whether Islam is a religion on political ideology, opposed to a ban on practicing Islam.

The prime minister pointed out that the terrorist in London was British-born, and would be unaffected by a ban on Muslim immigration.

Mr Turnbull’s criticisms were championed by his cabinet colleagues Christopher Pyne and Scott Morrison.

“We’re not about to deport Australian citizens who are Muslims because of any xenophobic campaign,” Mr Pyne told Sunrise.

The treasurer labelled Senator Hanson’s “kneejerk response” to the attack as “irresponsible” and “reckless”.

“What was happening yesterday was our AFP was working with other police forces around the country to ensure Australians were safe,” he said.

“That’s what the government was focused on, that’s not a time to be pursuing political agendas. It’s a time for focusing on keeping Australians and ensuring that all Australians, every single Australian regardless of your race, your ethnicity, your background, your religion, is safe.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten questioned if this was how the party felt, then why was it entering preferencing deals with One Nation.

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