A Muslim community group has warned of the potential impact of comments by the Immigration Minister targeting Lebanese migration to Australia.
Peter Dutton last week said Australia was paying for immigration decisions made by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser in the 1970s.
Pressed by the opposition in parliament (mon) to state who he was referring to, Mr Dutton pointed to what he said were second and third generation Australians of Lebanese-Muslim background who had been charged with terror-related offences.
The president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Keysar Trad told the ABC Mr Dutton's remarks could have negative repercussions.
"Without doubt I am very concerned that such comments further add to the sense of alienation and marginalisation, it just makes our work even more cut out for us, that we have to reach out more to these young people and make them realise that they are members of this society, that they do belong in Australian society, that they can contribute constructively, that they should not be phased by these comments."
The federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has defended past governments' immigration decisions, in the wake of Peter Dutton's comments.
Mr Morrison, who was formerly a Coalition immigration minister, told Sky News he believes Australia has, in most part, got it right.
"When you make decisions on immigration, that involve bringing large numbers of people who have very serious challenges in integrating into the country, and finding employment, and becoming welfare-independent, then you run the great risk of setting up consequences downstream that can be very disadvantaging to the national interest. Now that has happened from time to time in Australia's history. On the main, Australian immigration policy has got it right."
