- Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz was speaking at a campaign event
- Ms Kairouz urged people to not open their doors to anyone with an Irish accent
- Her comments were slammed as ‘pure racism’ from Australia’s Irish community
- She took to Twitter to apologise saying she had ‘delivered her message poorly’
An Australian minister who warned people not to open their doors to anyone with an Irish accent has been slammed as ‘blatantly racist.’
Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz made the controversial comment when speaking to raise awareness about travelling conmen during a campaign event on Sunday.
‘If anybody knocks on your door that has an Irish accent, automatically ask them to leave,’ she said.
Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz made the controversial comment when speaking to raise awarenss about travelling conmen at a campaign event (above)
Ms Kairouz was subsequently slammed by Australia’s Irish community.
Critics posting in the Irish Around Sydney Facebook page called on her to apologise, with one writing: ‘Pure racism against the Irish. It’s a disgrace.’
‘Just tar us all with the one brush! Narrow minds!’ added another.
One user blasted Ms Kairouz as an ‘blatantly racist’.
‘Racism and marginalisation at its best by a government representative – shameful and then she doesn’t have the respect to go back to her forum she attacked the Irish on to sincerely apologise – absolute coward,’ another comment said/
She was slammed as ‘blatantly racist’ after warned people not to open their doors to anyone with an Irish accent
She later took to Twitter to apologise, saying she had ‘delivered her message poorly’
Ms Kairouz took to Twitter to apologise, saying she had ‘delivered her message poorly’.
‘Yesterday I made a comment at a scam awareness campaign launch that caused offence to people with Irish heritage,’ she wrote.
‘Recent scammers have been backpackers from the UK & Ireland and I was giving this info to the public.
‘I admit I delivered this [message] poorly.
She added: ‘I sincerely apologise for causing offence and my poor choice of words.’