Key facts
- A former Australian Prime Minister criticized Scandinavian countries' approach to immigration.
- He claimed these countries lectured his government but eventually changed their policies.
- The former PM was in Washington D.C. on September 11, 2001.
- He described the events of the 9/11 attacks as they unfolded.
- He and his family were evacuated to a bunker at the Australian Embassy.
A former Australian Prime Minister reflected on his government's immigration policies, stating that Scandinavian countries attempted to lecture them but ultimately changed their own approaches. He characterized their initial stance as wanting to maintain their policies while bowing to international criticism, a position he felt was untenable.
The former Prime Minister also recounted his personal experience in Washington D.C. on September 11, 2001. He was in the city to address a joint sitting of Congress, an event that was postponed due to the terrorist attacks. He described receiving initial reports of a plane hitting one of the Twin Towers, initially dismissing it as an unfortunate accident. However, he was later informed that another plane had struck the second tower, confirming it was a deliberate act. During a subsequent news conference, he learned of the attack on the Pentagon. He recalled the shock of the city but noted the calm and deliberate reaction of Americans. He and his immediate staff, along with his wife and son who had been traveling to the Pentagon, were evacuated to a bunker beneath the Australian Embassy for safety.