'There's a higher risk that some bad people come from those bad countries,' Angus Taylor told ABC's Insiders on Sunday. His remarks came after federal action last month temporarily prevented almost 7,000 Iranian visitors from travelling to Australia for six months; on the programme he used the appearance to single out nations he called 'bad countries', defend preferencing One Nation in a regional by‑election, and describe welcome to country ceremonies as 'overused' following boos at some Anzac Day services.

Taylor's remarks and the immediate context Angus Taylor told ABC’s Insiders he regarded some nations as "bad countries" and warned there was a higher risk that "some bad people" might come from them. He named Iran as an example, saying the country's government had taken steps that made travel harder and pointing to what he described as atrocities in the Middle East. "Many good people come from bad countries. Some of the great Australians have come from countries that were bad countries at the time," he added. The remarks came after booing at several Anzac Day dawn services, which Taylor cited when saying welcome to country ceremonies had become "overused". He also defended his party’s decision to preference One Nation above Michelle Milthorpe, an independent standing in the rural Farrer by‑election, arguing that centrist "teal" voters tended to "vote with the Greens". Taylor refused to criticise Pauline Hanson, the One Nation leader, and said there were issues on which they agreed as well as issues where they did not. Hanson has called for an annual cap of 130,000 visas and has claimed credit for pushing the Coalition to take a tougher line on migration. Policy moves already under way The political debate is unfolding against concrete policy steps. The federal Labor government last month enacted legislation that prevents close to 7,000 Iranian nationals holding visitor visas from travelling to Australia for six months, citing concerns some visitors might not be able to return to Iran. Taylor said his party wouldn't ban people from particular countries but would apply a test based on whether migrants accept Australia’s "core values". Australia’s migration framework is formally non‑discriminatory—no nationality is barred from applying for entry—but politicians on the conservative right are increasingly framing migration in nationality and security terms. Nationals leader Matt Canavan joined an anti‑immigration rally held at parliament on Sunday and told the crowd: "We’ve just had a little bit too much talk of diversity. We’re all different … And that’s great, but we now just talk all about that and we don’t talk enough about unifying, about [how] we’re one nation." Political calculus and party dynamics Taylor’s position highlights a tactical choice inside the centre‑right: whether to align more closely with One Nation on migration to win back voters in rural and regional seats. He argued preferencing One Nation in Farrer was a defensible move because it could blunt the appeal of other challengers. The decision to place One Nation ahead of an independent in preferences signals the Coalition is willing to use electoral rules to shape outcomes. That tactic has two effects. It gives One Nation more influence over results in marginal contests. And it forces the Liberal leadership to balance criticism of hardline views with the political reality of coalition arithmetic. Taylor has repeatedly said migrants from countries "ruled by fundamentalists, extremists and dictators" may be less likely to share liberal democratic values; on Sunday he doubled down by using the phrase "bad countries" and by citing Iran in his remarks. Domestic impact: culture, communities and campaigning Taylor’s comments reopen debates about national identity, the role of cultural ceremonies and how migration and cultural issues are used in campaigning across regional and metropolitan electorates.

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Taylor said: "But there's a higher risk that some bad people come from those bad countries."

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