Australian senator censured for blaming mosque attack victims

An Australian senator has been censured by his colleagues for seeking to blame the victims of last month’s mosque shootings and vilify Muslims.

Senator Fraser Anning was the target of widespread condemnation for blaming the attack in New Zealand on immigration policies.

He faced more criticism later for physically striking a teenager who cracked a raw egg on his head in a viral incident in Melbourne.

On Parliament’s second sitting day since the 15 March attack in which 50 people died, government and opposition politicians moved the censure motion against Mr Anning for divisive comments “seeking to attribute blame to victims of a horrific crime and to vilify people on the basis of religion, which do not reflect the opinions of the Australian Senate or the Australian people”.

“Senator Anning’s comments were ugly and divisive. They were dangerous and unacceptable from anyone, let alone a member of this place,” government senate leader Mathias Cormann told the Senate.

Mr Anning dismissed the censure motion as an attack on free speech.

“It is also an exercise in leftwing virtue signalling of the worst kind,” he told the senate before the vote.

He sits as an independent after defecting from the antimuslim One Nation party, whose two senators abstained from the censure vote.

One Nation Senator Peter Georgiou read a speech on behalf of party leader Pauline Hanson, who was absent.

Ms Hanson said, while Mr Anning’s comments were “untimely and therefore deemed highly insensitive, he still maintains a right to his opinion”.

“If One Nation endorses your action to censure Senator Anning, your freedom of speech as elected members of this chamber will be removed,” the speech said.

A day after the Christchurch attacks, Mr Anning faced more criticism for physically striking the teenager who cracked an egg on his head at a Melbourne public appearance, 17-year-old Will Connolly, who became known around the world as Egg Boy.

Mr Anning yesterday criticised prime minister Scott Morrison for saying at the time that Mr Anning should “be subject to the full force of the law” for his retaliation against the teenager.

Police investigated the altercation but no charges have been announced.

“It might have only been an idiot with an egg this time, but there is a continuum that begins with this and ends with a fanatic with a gun or a bomb,” Mr Anning said.

“But apparently, according to prime minister Morrison, that’s OK, as long as the victims are conservatives,” he added.