DEPUTY Chief Minister Peter Styles says he doesn't believe being xenophobic is part of Australia's character, as Adam Giles suggested recently on Lateline. 
Mr Styles said yesterday he wasn't aware of Mr Giles' comments, which have caused a stir after he told host Tony Jones that xenophobia is "part of the Australian spirit" while discussing criticism of the Darwin Port deal to Chinese-owned Landbridge.
Mr Styles said that wasn't the case. "I don't think it is," he said. "I think we're a very tolerant country here, but sadly there are people here who are anti-Asian, anti-American or anti-European for whatever reasons they choose. But I think in the Northern Territory, we have one of the most tolerant communities anywhere in the world." Labor MLA Nicole Manison agreed with Mr Styles and said Mr Giles' comments were a distraction from scrutiny over the controversial sale of the port that experts have panned."I completely agree with the Deputy Chief Minister," she said. "I don't think Australians are xenophobic. People were well and truly opposed to the sale of the port before it was known it was getting sold to a Chinese company. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that Adam Giles tries to say this is xenophobia."