KERRYN Phelps has slammed Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s proposal to move the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a desperate last minute campaign for votes.
Speaking in front of hundreds of people on Tuesday night at the public forum hosted by the Executive Council of Australia Jewry — the officially elected representative organisation of the Australian Jewish community — the independent candidate for Wentworth criticised the timing of Morrison’s announcement, claiming it a “politically motivated decision”.
“This is something, I believe, should not have been raised in the context of a by-election for the purpose of trying to gain support for a Liberal candidate in a federal by-election,” Dr Phelps said.
Labor candidate Tim Murray, too was “disappointed” by the timing of the announcement.
“We, the Labor Party, are disappointed that such an important issue has been raised in the middle of a very divisive by-election,” he said.
“It’s not the correct process, it’s not the way to go about it.”
Read the story by Marnie Cohen in The Daily Telegraph.