Chinese embassy ‘disgusted’ after Australian senator Barry O’Sullivan blames ‘Chinaman’ for food safety risk
- Biosecurity measures should target ‘some bloody old Chinaman that brings in his favourite sausage down his undies’, O’Sullivan says in Senate debate
China has condemned remarks made by Australian politician Barry O’Sullivan, who said his country should “start with the Chinaman” when addressing risks posed to the country’s agriculture and food safety.
A statement on Wednesday on the website of China’s embassy in the capital Canberra said: “We are deeply astonished by the disgusting and racist comments insulting Australian Chinese by Senator Barry O’Sullivan of the Nationals.
“The embassy expresses the strongest indignation and sternest condemnation!”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a post on Chinese social media platform WeChat on Thursday that O’Sullivan’s views were not those of the government.
The premier said he was proud of the “profound influence” Chinese-Australians had had on Australia.
“The remarks made by Senator Barry O’Sullivan do not represent my views, nor do they represent the views of the Liberal and National Party’s coalition government,” he said.
The embassy statement cam in response to comments O’Sullivan made on Tuesday during discussions in the Senate, the upper house of the Australian parliament, about a proposed biosecurity imports levy.