Dutton warns of ‘leftwing lunatics’ threat after Asio chief says rightwing extremism on rise – politics live

Hello good people of blogs, just grabbing the quiet time on Tuesday to let you know that Anthony Albanese has written to Scott Morrison proposing a service to mark the first anniversary on 15 March of the Christchurch shootings.

The Albanese letter reads: “Australia and New Zealand have long enjoyed a close relationship – one of kinship and shared history. The fact that an Australian citizen is facing trial for launching those violent attacks on Christchurch mosques that killed 51 people and injured some 49 others is a sorrowful aspect of that shared history.”

Albanese continues:

While there are many ways that Australia could mark the first anniversary of this sad day, I urge you to hold a national, multi-faith service on Sunday 15 March 2020. I recommend that the service be held in either Sydney or Melbourne, in recognition of the largest Muslim populations in Australia.

Obviously this suggestion from the Labor leader comes in the context of a brisk debate that’s broken out here this morning about violence by left- or right-wing extremists (triggered by Peter Dutton’s both sides-ism this morning in response to a speech from the Asio boss).