Liberal Senator James Paterson has demanded Clare O’Neil “get back to focusing on the serious national security challenges facing Australia” after the Home Affairs Minister deleted two tweets taking aim at Donald Trump Jr.
Ms O’Neil took to the social media platform on Thursday to weigh in on the postponement of his Australian speaking tour, claiming it was due to poor ticket sales.
Delayed visa processing times had been blamed for the pushback, but the government dismissed the claims saying Trump Jr’s visa application was approved in time.
“Geez, Donald Trump Jr is a bit of a sore loser,” Ms O’Neil wrote.
“His dad lost an election fair and square – but he says it was stolen. Now he’s trying to blame the Australian government for his poor ticket sales and cancelled tour.
“Donald Trump Jr has been given a visa to come to Australia. He didn’t get cancelled. He’s just a big baby, who isn’t very popular.”
Less than four hours later Mr Paterson weighed in on the tweets, which had since been removed from the platform.
“It’s good to see these childish tweets have now been deleted,” Mr Paterson wrote on Twitter.
“The Minister should leave the woke tweets to Labor backbenchers and get back to focusing on the serious national security challenges facing Australia.
“Like it or not, Trump could be elected president again in less than 18 months. If that happens, I hope for the sake of the AUKUS agreement that cabinet ministers in national security portfolios are able to restrain themselves from juvenile tweets like these.”
Mr Paterson’s criticism follows the decision of tour organisers Turning Point to push back Donald Trump Jr’s speaking tour just four days before the scheduled commencement.
The organisers claimed Trump Jr’s visa approval came through at the last-minute, just under 24 hours before he was set to fly out.
The ordeal sparked claims of political interference and meddling to stop the Republican from entering the country.
But Immigration Minister Andrew Giles put them to bed in a press conference earlier on Thursday.
“Every visitor is treated equally when it comes to their visa application and every application is treated on its merits under Australia’s migration system,” Mr Giles said.
“Mr Trump’s visa… was treated in the same manner as everyone else’s and dealt with in the same processing system.
“There were no delays. His visa application was treated in the standard manner.
“I want to be really clear about this – I don’t share many of Mr Trump’s views but that is entirely irrelevant to my decision-making. He is entitled to express them if he meets the requirement of the migration act.”
Mr Giles also made a subtle jibe, remarking it was more likely the tour got called off because of poor ticket sales and lacklustre interest from the public.
“Any issue that Mr Trump has or his promoters have that go to the postponement of the tour is a matter entirely for them,” he said.
“It may of course be that the reason for the postponement goes to the lack of enthusiasm for ticket sales rather than any of the issues that have been raised today.”
The former US President’s son was set to speak in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane from June 9 to 11.
Several activists had been vocal in their opposition to Trump Jr entering the country, and a change.org petition against his visa had garnered more than 20,000 signatures.
Source : Sky News
