'Of course they would get YOU to ask that question': Top Labor minister is accused of singling out Liberal MP because of his race

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 00:48, 3 June 2026 | Updated: 00:58, 3 June 2026 Labor MPs have been accused of targeting a Liberal politician over his racial background after suggesting the Coalition used him as a political prop during a heated Question Time clash over migration.  The chamber erupted on Tuesday as Labor MPs directed snide remarks at Leon Rebello, the Liberal member for McPherson, while he challenged the government over migration levels and the housing crisis.  Citing a Reserve Bank memo, Rebello asked housing minster Clare O'Neil: 'A secret internal RBA memo says that migration policy is, and I quote, a main way that the government influences the housing market. 'Now, this government's brought in a record 1.4 million migrants, so isn't it the truth that Labor's migration policies have made housing harder to afford?' The question sparked an immediate reaction from the government benches. 'They always make him ask it,' Labor backbencher Basem Abdo muttered. Rebello told the Daily Mail that Transport Minister Catherine King also shouted at him during the exchange, saying: 'Of course they would get you to ask that question,' a remark other MPs also heard.  Rebello, who was born in Canberra to parents who migrated from Goa in India, said the remarks left him deeply disappointed.  Liberal MP Leon Rebello (pictured) questioned the government on migration during a fiery Question Time - only to find himself targeted by snide remarks from Labor MPs due to his background  Transport Minister Catherine King (pictured) was overheard telling Rebello, 'Of course they would get you to ask that question' Labor backbencher Basem Abdo was heard muttering, 'they always make him ask it,' as Rebello asked a question about migration  'This is typical Labor. When they cannot defend their record, they play the politics of division,' Rebello told Daily Mail. 'Instead of commenting on who asked the question, Labor should focus on answering it.' 'If Labor MPs spent less time heckling and more time fixing housing, Australians might actually be better off.' In response to Rebello's question linking migration to the housing crisis, Clare O'Neil accused the Liberals of hypocrisy and blamed the Coalition's previous migration settings for the surge early in its term.  'Migration is a piece of the puzzle here and that is exactly why our government has acted to bring migration down,' O'Neil said. 'This is the detail that seems to get lost with those opposite... that migration is now almost half what it reached after its post-COVID high. 'Unfortunately the member finds himself in a political party that played a significant role in bringing us to where we are today.' Daily Mail contacted King and Abdo for comment about their remarks - but they have ignored our emails.   No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.