Peter Dutton has shied away from supporting a long-term visa for the injured Pakistani security guard who put his life on the line in the Bondi Junction tragedy – despite agreeing the French ‘Bollard Man’ should be allowed to stay.
The Opposition Leader was asked about Muhammad Taha’s hospital bed request for a visa extension when he stopped by Westfield in Bondi Junction to pay his respects on Thursday morning.
Mr Taha was stabbed in the stomach after bravely confronting crazed knifeman Joel Cauchi during his violent rampage on Saturday afternoon.
His colleague, Faraz Tahir, was among the six people fatally stabbed. Eight other victims remain in hospital, with two critical.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week singled out fellow hero, Frenchman Damien Guerot, who earned the nickname ‘Bollard Man’ after footage went viral of him attempting to keep Cauchi from ascending an escalator.
The Opposition Leader was asked about Muhammad Taha’s hospital bed request for a visa extension when he stopped by Westfield in Bondi Junction to pay his respects on Thursday morning
Muhammad Taha was knifed in the stomach but managed to radio other security staff for help – becoming one of the first people to raise the alarm (pictured, still recovering in hospital)
Mr Dutton shied away from supporting a long-term visa for the injured Pakistani security guard who put his life on the line in the Bondi Junction tragedy
The PM offered him citizenship on Tuesday, claiming he was ‘welcome to stay for as long’ as he likes. The generous offer prompted Mr Taha, whose skilled subclass 487 visa expires next month, to ask for the same treatment.
Asked about the request as he laid flowers on Thursday, Mr Dutton said: ‘That’s obviously an issue for the Prime Minister.
‘I think at the moment the focus really is on those who have lost their lives, those who are recovering, and I think any other matter can be dealt with in due course.’
But Mr Dutton was supportive of the PM’s offer to Mr Guerot earlier this week.
‘I support the Prime Minister’s generous offer… we shouldn’t be afraid of wanting people to come to our country who are the best people,’ Mr Dutton said on Tuesday.
‘When you look at the images of that young French citizen standing at the top of the escalator with a bollard, putting his own life at risk to protect others, he embodies the Anzac spirit and we would want people of that character in our country.
‘I think it is a good call by the prime minister and I’m happy to support it.’
Mr Taha was stabbed in the stomach after bravely confronting crazed knifeman Joel Cauchi during his violent rampage on Saturday afternoon
Damien Guerot was offered citizenship by Anthony Albanese for his bravery
Frenchman Guerot who went viral after footage of him facing down Cauchi at the top of an escalator while holding a bollard went viral
Speaking to Ray Hadley on Thursday morning, Mr Dutton said the Frenchman is ‘ticking a lot of the boxes’ of qualities he would like to see in people coming to Australia.
‘They tell me he was a pretty impressive young fellow and very humble. They’re the sorts of Australians that we want.’
Mr Hadley noted he’d offered ‘bipartisan support’ regarding Mr Guerot’s visa, and suggested he’d now done the same for Mr Taha.
Mr Dutton responded by highlighting Mr Guerot’s efforts, but did not address Mr Taha’s.
‘I think in a circumstance that when you look at the footage of that young bloke holding the bollard at the top of the escalator – he didn’t need to do that, he didn’t need to be there, it’s not his country,’ he said.
‘I just think the acts of strangers helping other people that they’ve never met before and putting their own lives at risk, or those who were on the ground applying pressure to puncture wounds in young children or women, they’re pretty heroic acts.’
Westfield Bondi Junction opened to the public on Thursday from 11am to 5pm for the community to pay its respects following the horrific stabbing on Saturday.
The 40-year-old attacker, Cauchi, was shot dead by seasoned cop Inspector Amy Scott.
The six victims being honoured are new mum Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.
Community members will be able to walk through the centre on Thursday while a section will be set up to lay flowers and wreaths.
New music will be played in Westfield, and a black ribbon will instead be shown on advertising platforms.
Trading will return on Friday for stores that choose to reopen.
Muhammad Taha (pictured above), from Pakistan, was patrolling the fourth floor of Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon when Joel Cauchi began stabbing strangers at random. He is now fighting to stay in Australia
