The Labour Party’s equal opportunities officer, Rachel Tua, is sticking to her argument on Facebook that Maltese citizens come “first and foremost” and will not tolerate irregular immigrants attacking locals.

“I was never appointed as an international equal opportunities officer. As far as I’m concerned, my role as equal opportunities officer concerns sticking up for our population and our citizens. I will always sustain my principles. I will stick up for the Maltese first and foremost, no matter what,” Dr Tua told Times of Malta when contacted for a reaction to comments she posted on Facebook.

In the comments, flagged by news portal MaltaToday, Dr Tua referred to the recent attack of a Maltese teenager by two foreigners reported to be irregular immigrants.

A Palestinian and Somali were yesterday arraigned over the assault, which also involved a Libyan victim. They are pleading not guilty.

Dr Tua, a Mosta local councillor, wrote: “Not only do they illegally invade us but are now conducting acts of theft and violence upon our citizens… Such acts are zero tolerance.”

She suggested that Malta should follow Australia’s example and practise push-backs.

She later told this newspaper that her comments on Australia could have been “far-fetched” and that she might have “misinterpreted” what she meant exactly.

However, she insisted she stuck by her principles, that the interest of the Maltese ought to come “first and foremost”. She said she based her comments on the articles she read in the media that described the alleged aggressors irregular immigrants.

“It’s a known fact, in Malta, we are being invaded. Maybe not exactly invaded, but the problem is that we are too small to cater for such a huge population of illegal immigrants. There needs to be burden sharing,” she said.

Dr Tua insisted that she had nothing against immigrants and, being a lawyer, she had legally represented asylum seekers.