Australian anti-Islam group invites Dutch right winger Geert Wilders.

[pampango]

Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders

IMMIGRATION Minister Chris Bowen will not block the visit of Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, claiming Australia is robust enough to withstand his strong anti-Islamist views just weeks after rioters caused chaos in the Sydney CBD.

Mr Wilders is the founder and leader of the Party for Freedom in The Netherlands and he has campaigned to stop what he claims is the "Islamisation" of his country. His strong views saw him charged in The Netherlands with incitement to hatred and discrimination but he was acquitted in June last year.

"Mr Wilders is a provocateur who no doubt revels in the spotlight and would like nothing more than to be denied entry to Australia and garner his cause more attention," Mr Bowen says. "I have decided not to intervene to deny him a visa because I believe that our democracy is strong enough, our multiculturalism robust enough and our commitment to freedom of speech entrenched enough that our society can withstand the visit of a fringe commentator from the other side of the world," Mr Bowen says.

He says the way to deal with extremist commentators like Mr Wilders is to defeat his ideas with the force of arguments and not by denying him entry into Australia. "Mr Wilders and people who agree with him are very simply wrong in their beliefs. But in a democracy such as Australia's, you are entitled to be wrong, as long as you don't vilify people or encourage and incite violence.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/immigration/critic-of-islam-geert-wilders-in-line-for-visit-visa/story-fn9hm1gu-1226486184327

Wilders has been invited by the Q Society of Australia a conservative anti-Islam organization. Good that Australia will give him a visa.