On the broadcast last week,Jones compared Australian quarantine facilities to a Nazi concentration camp,prompting no rebuke and a chuckle from Mr Christensen. Mr Christensen also called for protests outside Australian embassies to draw attention to coronavirus restrictions.
Alex Jones’ material was booted off social media channels - Facebook,Twitter and YouTube - in 2018,with his content also removed by Spotify and Apple from their respective podcast and app services,for breaching policies on promotion of hate and harassment.
A spokesman for Mr Joyce,who is travelling in the United Kingdom,initially issued only a brief statement to say the Deputy Prime Minister disagreed with Mr Christensen’s comments and had spoken with him,but affirmed his right to free speech.
After former Nationals leader Michael McCormack urged Mr Joyce to publicly and personally call Mr Christensen out,Mr Joyce made a longer statement saying he had told Mr Christensen that any comparison between a domestic policy and the Holocaust required an immediate rebuke.
He said Jones’ site,Infowars,was “at times toxic,dangerous and incendiary” and asked Mr Christensen to think more thoroughly about his media appearances.
“I have asked Mr Christensen ... to ask himself of the history of those platforms and if participation on it is wise,whether the subject matter is inflammatory,is it the truth,does it serve any purpose in Australia or merely provide ammunition for politics,for which he has now provided ample.”