Douglas Carswell's Blog

The Australian Prime Minister does not do it again

For several years, a steady trickle of emails have arrived in my inbox about a no nonsense speech, apparently given by the Australian Prime Minister.

These emails used to tell me that former Aussie PM John Howard had said those wanting to live in Australia should adapt to Australian culture - or leave. I was even sent a transcript of what he is supposed to have said.

Then I got emails applauding Kevin Rudd, the next Prime Minister, for apparently making the exact same "integrate or leave" speech.  Today I got another email keen to tell me how Julia Gillard gave a speech only last Wednesday, which happened to use the precise same words.

Except she didn't say those words. Neither did Kevin Rudd. Nor John Howard before that. No Australian PM has ever uttered those word. The speech is a hoax. A case of someone deliberately attributing to successive Australian leaders words that they never said.

It is really important that folk understand that this "Australian Prime Minister speaks" email is a hoax. Why?

Precisely because Australia does have a good, no nonsense approach to immigration. And because Australia has a good record of assimilation from which we could learn.

Learning from the Australian immigration experience means recognising what Australia's experience has been. Not falling for a falsehood.

Beneath the radar of the mainstream media, I fear many thousands of people have now read this hoax email - and they believe it. I hope those inside the Westminster bubble confront this falsehood head on. In the meantime, let's use the wisdom of the crowd to explain the truth.

If you get an email telling you what the Aussie PM is supposed to have said, please send the folk who sent it this link: www.hoax-slayer.com/gillard-muslims-leave.shtml

Or link them to this blog post.

Back to all posts