Politics

Malcolm Turnbull on Abyan's journey

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Malcolm Turnbull is persecuting a rape victim who he won’t let us talk to us or her lawyers. Can he survive this politically? Bob Ellis doubts it.

As I understand it, our Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has agreed with Dutton that "Abyan" – the raped and pregnant Somalian twenty-three-year-old – was flown back to Nauru still pregnant because she refused to have an abortion here.

He agrees with Dutton also that her lawyers, in asserting otherwise – to wit, that she wanted the abortion and also some counselling – were lying. He further agrees with Dutton that she cannot be interviewed about this – though she has committed no crime she can’t be interviewed about anything – by, say, Four Corners, or Peter Greste, or Fran Kelly, or Gillian Triggs and no moving pictures of her can be broadcast anywhere.

He has not said, and Dutton has not said, what will happen to her now and what will happen to the child she does not want, and what will be the condition of that child at birth if she continues to starve herself — who will adopt it and look after it, or if she will be required to, whatever its condition.

This persecution of a young black woman resembles closely what happened a few decades back to many Australian black women and girls in the era of the Stolen Children and Turnbull has now involved himself in that persecution. Is it possible he will retain support among the Green and Labor vacillators he had a month ago? Or are those numbers lost to him now? What woman will vote for him now? Are there any?

His shallowness, already evident in his "I’m rich, tough on you" speech in parliament and his bizarre commitment this morning to return to New Zealand men and women who have spent 50 years here, paying taxes here, raising children here, and his decision to continue to dodge taxes while prime minister through a famously crooked Caribbean island, is increasing exponentially.

He is persecuting a rape victim now and he won’t let us talk to her. Can he survive this politically? I doubt it.

And we will see what we shall see.

Not happy about this matter? Leave a message for Turnbull on 02 9327 3988 or email malcolm.turnbull.mp@aph.gov.au

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