Calls Grow For Australia To Boycott 2022 Winter Olympics In China

A politician is trying to gather support for Australia to boycott the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games.

It's no secret Australia and China have had a less than cordial relationship over the last 12 months.

Ever since Australian politicians led the charge for an international and independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, China has put Australia on ice both economically and diplomatically.

Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz believes now is the time to send a message across the Pacific Ocean as Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics.

He's calling for a 'diplomatic boycott', where Aussie athletes would still compete, but no political delegation would be sent to China.

Mr Abetz said that type of statement would prove 'we are not accepting of their regime'.

"The propaganda value of holding an Olympics should never be forgotten," he told Sky News Australia.

"Here we have another belligerent dictatorship with one million of their people in concentration camps housing Christians, Falun Gong, the Tibetans, the Mongolians, the pro-democracy Hong Kongers, the list goes on all being persecuted.

"And I don't think the freedom loving countries of the world should stand by and say nothing to be seen here."

He's sent the Prime Minister a letter signed by six other politicians in the hope it will convince Scott Morrison of the need to be absent from the Games.

But the boycott isn't just for China's actions with Australia, but also for the allegations of human rights abuses and genocide against Uyghur people as well as the democratic suppression in Hong Kong.

The campaign has been criticised by other politicians who feel Australia should be trying to cosy up to China rather than finger point.

Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon said the idea of diplomatically boycotting the Games would be 'unwise'.

He said: "Human rights abuses happen all around the world, you respond to them by building your soft power.

"Not undermining your soft power and your ability to lobby countries who are not matching our standards and our expectations.

"So I think it would be counterproductive in any case."

The UK House of Commons recently unanimously voted in favour of boycotting the Winter Olympic, which one MP called the 'genocide games'.

The bill isn't binding and while parliament has agreed to the motion, it hasn't indicated what it will do when China issues invitations for delegates to visit Beijing.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Australia, Winter Olympics

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie