Seven coalition backbenchers have urged the party to consider the plight of white South African farmers they say are being targeted for attacks. The MPs raised their concerns about the "unique" issue in the coalition party room meeting on Tuesday, but stopped short of calling for a special visa to be issued. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told the MPs people do not need to be "refugees" in order to qualify for Australia's humanitarian program. The MPs told the party room they were concerned their worries about white farmers in South Africa had been misconstrued as "racist" in media reports. "They don't realise how completely dead they are to me," Mr Dutton told 2GB radio.

Source: Daily Mail March 27, 2018 06:20 UTC