Forrest MP ‘heartened’ by anti-immigration rallies attended by neo-nazis, but condemns extremists Amber LilleySouth Western TimesWed, 3 September 2025 3:21PMEmail Amber Lilley
The presence of neo-nazis hasn’t stopped South West MP Ben Small declaring he was “heartened” by weekend protests against mass immigration, despite violence interstate and chants of “heil Australia” in Perth.
Speaking in Federal Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Small said while there was “no place for fascists and nazis in this country,” but he was “heartened” to see people “express patriotic pride” with “adolescents, young families and grandparents alike united”.
“Being uncomfortable with the sheer number of migrants that have arrived in this country in recent years and indeed continue to flock to our shores doesn’t make you xenophobic,” he said.
“More so, being uncomfortable with the values of those people arriving en masse doesn’t make you racist.”
At the weekend, neo-nazis shouting “Heil Australia” were among disturbing scenes in the Perth CBD as thousands gathered for a March for Australia anti-immigration rally as part of nationwide action.
An estimated 10,000 people took to the streets with black-clad members of the nation’s biggest far-right group, the National Socialist Network, among them.
Violent scenes emerged from the rallies across the country, with neo-nazi leader Thomas Sewell later arrested in Melbourne over an alleged attack on an Indigenous camp.
But, Mr Small said a debate around immigration was needed “because we need control over how many people come to this country and the values of those people”.
“The question that has sat very uneasily with me for months now is asked quietly by many ordinary Australians, who have felt the need to first look left and then right and make sure that nobody could overhear them before asking,” he said.
“Why are so many people who don’t even believe in Australia being welcomed to this country?”
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at least 26 per cent of Forrest residents were born overseas with at least 71 per cent having non-Australian ancestry.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley condemned the presence of neo-nazis at the weekend’s demonstrations.
“This past weekend rallies occurred across Australia, attended by people of goodwill, but hijacked by neo-nazis spouting hate, racism and resorting to politically motivated violence,” she said
“That can never be accepted. Extremism has no place in Australia. We must never import the bitterness of overseas conflicts into our communities. What unites us as Australians will always be stronger than those who seek to divide us.”
Mr Small was ousted during his previous politics stint when he was caught up in the dual citizenship saga, 18 months after first filling a Senate vacancy created when former finance minister Mathias Cormann retired in November 2020.
He was forced to resign in April 2022, breaching the Australian Constitution as he was a dual citizen with New Zealand — his father’s home.
Mr Small was then elected earlier this year as the Forrest MHR on the back of long-standing Liberal politician Nola Marino’s retirement.
It was a close race, but Mr Small was able to secure the seat picking up 52.2 per cent of the two candidate preferred votes with a margin of 4.6 per cent against Labor.
During his second maiden speech, he spoke of the resilience, determination and strength of an Italian migrant he helped during his time as a volunteer ambulance officer in Bunbury.
He said that man shaped his outlook on life more than most, saying the man’s story “in aggregate made our nation what it is”.
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