The seething mass of hashtags and political squabbles that is Q&A took a serious turn overnight, with host Tony Jones apologising for the comments of an audience member during the taping.
While the panel debated whether it’s appropriate for government ministers to have the power to strip suspected terrorists of their citizenship, Zaky Mallah, who was charged with planning a terrorist act in Sydney in 2003, chimed in.
Mallah, who pleaded guilty to making death threats against parliamentary officials but who was acquitted on terrorism charges in 2005, said that these powers should be left up to the courts.
Liberal parliamentarian Steve Ciobo was having none of it, and claimed that Mallah had essentially been let off his charges on a technicality.
“I’m happy to look you straight in the eye and say I’d be pleased to be part of a government that would say you’re out of the country as far as I’m concerned. I would sleep very soundly at night with that point of view,” he said.
.@steveciobo says he would have banished a person for making threats of terrorism. #QandA http://t.co/zPeOcUMbbB
— ABC Q&A (@QandA) June 22, 2015
It was a later comment from Mallah that prompted the hasty apology from Jones, when he said that “the Liberals have just justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join ISIL because of ministers like him.”
“I think that’s a comment we are going to rule totally out of order,” the host said, “I’m sorry about that. I don’t think there is much more to say at this point.”
Mallah’s comments have been broadly condemned on social media.
For crying out loud Zacky!! You don’t speak for us! #QandA.
— Mariam Veiszadeh (@MariamVeiszadeh) June 22, 2015
The Q&A juggernaut rolls ever-onwards.
