Western Australia Premier Roger Cook has labelled a councillor in WA’s north an “embarrassment” and has urged him to resign after a controversial appearance on Russian television.
Town of Port Hedland councillor Adrian McRae appeared on Russian-state-owned Sputnik TV in an interview on Sunday, in which he quoted a former Nazi party member and attacked Australian and Western media.
In the interview, Cr McRae spoke out against Western media narratives, which he claimed vilified Russia while referencing the war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
He then went on to quote Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt.
“I think it was the German philosopher Carl Schmitt that said you have to have an enemy figure to create a cohesive society,” he said.
“And of course the enemy figure at the moment in the Australian media and the Australian narrative is Russia.”
Adrian McRae appeared on Russian state-owned media organisation Sputnik TV on Sunday. (Supplied: Sputnik TV)
Carl Schmitt was a German jurist who became a high-ranking member of the Nazi Party and was known for anti-Semitic teachings and speaking out against denazification efforts.
Neither Cr McRae nor the interviewer acknowledged Schmitt’s role in the fascist party.
‘Embarrassing’ TV appearance
Sputnik TV has been banned in the European Union since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.
In response to Sunday’s interview, Premier Roger Cook called Cr McRae an “embarrassment” and urged him to resign.
“It’s time for the councillor to go,” he said.
“He’s an embarrassment to the town of Port Hedland. He’s an embarrassment to WA.”
Mr Cook said Cr McRae was “using his councillor position and the privileges which come with that position to advance some international right-wing ideological position” and called for him to resign.
Roger Cook condemned Cr McRae’s second appearance on Russian TV at a press conference in Perth. (ABC News: Keane Bourke.)
The councillor made headlines around the world earlier this year after he travelled to Russia as an “independent international observer” of the disputed Russian election, where he congratulated and endorsed Vladimir Putin on his victory.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the election was an “insult to democracy” while US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken criticised the vote as “undemocratic.”
Port Hedland councillor Adrian McRae speaking on Russian media. (Telegram: AussieCossack)
The councillor’s recent appearance on Russian television comes just days after Mr Cook told the Port Hedland Council to “stick to its knitting” after the council passed a motion calling for the suspension of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines.
Cr McRae, who put forward the motion, was also a candidate at the 2022 federal election for the Great Australia Party, which campaigned against mandatory vaccinations.
In a response posted to his Facebook page, Cr McRae said he was “proud” to embarrass Mr Cook.
“You should be embarrassed,” he said.
“Even more so, you should be ashamed.
“What you and your Government did to the people of Western Australia this last 5 years will never be forgiven, nor forgotten.”
Sending a message
Curtin University national security expert Alexey Muraviev said Cr McRae’s comments on Russian television aimed to send a message to Russian citizens that support for the country did exist in Western nations.
“Having a voice of an Australian national on Russian state media saying things that support the Russian narrative allows Moscow to demonstrate that there are voices, including in the so-called unfriendly countries, … that are sympathetic to Russia,” he said.
“Having him in the capacity of being an official council member of one of Western Australia’s towns, it really elevates his political standing and weight in the eyes of the Russian state media.”
Town of Port Hedland chief executive Carl Askew said McRae’s comments during the recent interview were not a representation of the local council.
Mr Askew said the council had been unaware of the interview and that Cr McRae was not speaking on its behalf.
