A controversial anti-immigration politician who was once banned from entering the United Kingdom and has said he "hates Islam" was apparently such a fan of Australia's border security policies that he not only praised them but also replicated one of our most contentious campaigns.
Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who plans to visit Australia this month for the launch of an anti-Islam political party, released a video earlier this year in which he stands in front of a backdrop showing a tiny boat being tossed in treacherous waves, and emblazoned with an emphatic slogan telling refugees and migrants, "No Way. You will not make the Netherlands home".  
The backdrop and slogan are all but identical to a campaign that began in the dying days of the Rudd Labor government, which featured posters and newspaper ads declaring, "No Way. You will not make Australia home".
A video was released following the election of the Abbott government featuring General David Campbell, the Commander of Operation Sovereign Borders, telling asylum seekers: "If you travel by boat without a visa, you will not make Australia home."
In the Dutch video, Mr Wilders, who founded the Party for Freedom, stands in front of an almost identical backdrop to General Campbell - only the name of the country and a tiny map is different - to deliver his message. He describes those making the voyage to Europe from North Africa by boat as "fortune hunters" and praises Australia's policy of boat turn-backs.
"Australia tackles the problem in a more sophisticated way," he says. "The country sends refugees in safe ships back to the country of departure. And the Freedom Party says let's do it in the same way.
"Only then will the flow be stopped and the problem will disappear by itself. Only then will no people be drowned ... only then will Europe no longer be flooded with fortune-hunters."
Mr Wilders is a hugely divisive figure internationally, and was once banned from entering the United Kingdom because of his hardline views. He is due to speak at the launch of a new anti-Islam party in Australia in late   October, called the Australian Liberty Alliance (ALA).
However, the ABC reported on Monday that his visa application appeared to have stalled, with the ALA president telling the broadcaster the government was "stonewalling" him.
A Department of Immigration spokeswoman would not comment to Fairfax Media as to whether Mr Wilders would be granted a visa, saying every application was treated on its merits.
Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said Australia's approach to asylum seekers was an "international embarrassment" made worse by Mr Wilder's endorsement.
"We could be leading the world's humanitarian response, working with the international community to protect people seeking safety, but instead we are appealing to the hyper-conservative racists of the world," she said.
"It says a lot that Australia, a nation that proudly helped to shape the UN Refugee Convention, is now being held up by the likes of Mr Wilders as the beacon of brutality."
The Immigration Department spokeswoman would not comment on whether the department was taking any action over the video but confirmed no permission had been granted to use the words or images.
"The department was not approached by Dutch politician Geert Wilders, or anyone representing Mr Wilders, to seek permission to use the artwork or campaign slogan developed for the Australian government's anti-people smuggling No Way communication campaign," said the spokeswoman.
The Dutch video was released earlier this year but resurfaced in a recent segment of John Oliver's Last Week Tonight , which looked the poor treatment of refugees by some European countries. The similarity between the two campaigns was spotted by a Holland-based Associated Press reporter at the time.
Fairfax Media contacted the Dutch Party for Freedom for comment but did not receive a reply.