Peter Dutton is seeking legal advice after he was branded ‘racist’ by Teal MP Zali Steggall over his call to ban visas for Palestinians fleeing war-torn Gaza.

The Opposition leader said last week there was uncertainty about Gazan refugees and their allegiance to the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas.

‘I don’t think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment, it’s not prudent to do so, and I think it puts our national security at risk,’ Mr Dutton said.

On the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Ms Steggall – who represents Warringah on Sydney‘s northern beaches – accused Mr Dutton of painting all Palestinians as terrorists.

‘These are families that you are seeking to paint… that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted, that they are not worthy of humanitarian aid,’ she said.

‘Stop being racist.’

Ms Steggall quickly withdrew the comment, which was protected under parliamentary privilege, but she repeated the claim in media interviews.

Mr Dutton doubled down on his comments in an opinion piece on Saturday, and is now looking at legal options regarding Ms Steggall’s comments.

Peter Dutton said allowing Palestinians to enter Australia without proper vetting was a national security issue

Following her comments in the House, Ms Steggall told The Guardian: ‘To raise an inference that we are to fear anyone coming here, seeking refuge from Gaza, any Palestinians, that there’s an inference they are all terrorists, or they are all linked with Hamas. 

‘Now that is, that is a racist inference.’

‘If [Mr Dutton] is going to advocate for a policy that comes under the definition of racism, then that inference is there.’

He was also branded ‘racist’ and ‘hypocritical’ by the the Lebanese Muslims Association.

‘The Lebanese Muslim Association vehemently condemns the recent racist and hypocritical remarks made by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton regarding refugees from Gaza,’ it said.

‘His comments are not only deeply offensive but represent a calculated attempt to exploit social division for political gain.’

In an opinion piece published by the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Mr Dutton said the risk of allowing Hamas supporters to enter Australia was too great a risk.

Teal MP Zali Steggall (pictured in the House on Thursday) slammed Mr Dutton as ‘racist’

He said polling by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found 57 per cent of Gazans supported Hamas’ October 7 attack which almost killed 2,000 people – most of whom were civilians.

A further 64 per cent supported armed intifada, while 32 per cent supported the coexistence of a Jewish and Palestinian state. 

‘We need to be clear-eyed about Palestinians in Gaza,’ he said.

‘Some Gazans are Hamas terrorists. Some will have been accomplices in holding hostages.

‘Some may not be violent, but support Hamas – a declared terrorist organisation – and its use of violence. Some may have no fondness for Hamas, but will be anti-Semitic.’

Mr Dutton said others were likely good people who hated the terrorist regime and were willing and able to ‘integrate into a democratic nation and subscribe to its values’. 

He said it was impossible to differentiate without thorough background checks.