Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has defended his comments that white farmers in South Africa “deserve special attention” from Australia, pointing out that the farmers “seem different” to most other asylum seekers, but he can’t quite put his finger on what it is.

Unlike other asylum seekers who make up their genocides in order to get into the country to claim Centrelink benefits, white South African farmers are facing “horrific circumstances” and violence, Mr Dutton said.

“For a genocide to be horrific enough to qualify for special attention, you really need to feel some sort of sympathy for them. I can’t quite put my finger on why the white South Africans look more deserving of special attention, but as soon as I figure it out, I’ll get back to you.”

Mr Dutton said that merely facing the genocide of your entire race isn’t “horrific” enough to qualify for special attention from Australia, pointing out that Tamil Sri Lankans and Rohingyas from Myanmar don’t deserve any attention, and probably should just be sent home. “There’s some other ingredient that makes white farmers special, I can’t quite work out what it is,” Mr Dutton said. “But it’s not that they’re farmers.”

Mr Dutton added that the Australia he grew up with back when he was a Queensland cop has always had a special affinity with white South Africans. “It’s so unfair they’re being victimised. What did they ever do wrong?”