Family First’s South Australian upper house candidate Deepa Mathew has accused Premier Peter Malinauskas of demeaning migrants after he challenged One Nation voters to consider “who’s going to feed you and bathe you and wipe your bum when you’re 90” if immigration is curtailed.
The alleged comments were made during a question-and-answer session following the Premier’s address to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia in Adelaide this week, where he outlined plans to expand the state’s skilled migration intake to support defence, mining and housing construction projects.
Malinauskas argued South Australia would require thousands of additional skilled workers each year to deliver major projects, including submarine construction, and to meet ambitious housing targets.
It is reported that he said that without a sustainable migration program, the state risked missing out on high-paying jobs and economic growth.
But Mathew, who migrated from India to Adelaide two decades ago with her husband and three-month-old baby, said the Premier’s language reduced migrants to a stereotype.
“I didn’t come here to wipe bums. I came here to be Australian.”
Mathew, an experienced banker who later established her own small business, said she and her family had worked hard, paid taxes and contributed to their community since settling in South Australia.
“Like thousands of other migrants, we came seeking opportunity, freedom and a better future,” she said.
“We have embraced the Australian way of life and built our lives here.”
“To reduce migrants to people who exist solely to ‘wipe bums’ is offensive and beneath the office of Premier,” she added.
The Premier’s remarks have also drawn criticism from One Nation arguing that the phrasing was inappropriate.
One Nation’s South Australian lead upper house candidate, Cory Bernardi, described the comments as a disservice to carers, saying aged care was a meaningful and valued profession.
“The simple fact is he [Malinauskas] thinks it’s OK to bring workers in to do a role that he thinks is beneath ordinary Australians.”
During his speech, Malinauskas defended the need for population growth, saying the state would require an additional 3,218 people annually on top of existing growth to sustain major industries and meet workforce demands. He acknowledged that advocating for higher migration levels was not politically popular but said it was necessary for long-term prosperity.
He also argued that as more Australians move into highly skilled defence roles, other sectors — including construction and aged care — would need workers to fill essential jobs.
In a statement, a government spokesperson said it was “extremely disappointing” to see the Premier’s comments mischaracterised for political purposes.
Mathew said the debate should focus on responsible planning rather than rhetoric. “South Australia needs an immigration policy that is fair, orderly and sustainable,” she said.
“Migrants are doctors, engineers, small business owners, teachers, entrepreneurs and aged care professionals. We deserve to be treated with dignity.”
Mathew added, “We must align migration settings with housing supply, infrastructure and cost-of-living pressures — not use migrants as a political prop.”
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