Anthony Albanese promises Damien Guerot smooth visa application after Bondi Junction heroics

Peter Dutton has backed Anthony Albanese’s promise to help the French “Bollard Man” who blocked the Bondi attacker from reaching more possible victims with his Australian visa application.

Six people were killed, as well as the attacker Joel Cauchi, on Saturday during the 40-year-old’s rampage through Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre.

Cauchi had ran through the shopping centre in Sydney’s eastern suburbs armed with a knife as he went after shoppers with the intent of harming them.

Footage of the horror quickly flooded social media, with one video showing a man dubbed “Bollard Man” trying to stop Cauchi from walking up an escalator by blocking him with a metal pole.

It’s understood there were children at the top of the escalator.

The hero was later identified as French national Damien Guerot.

“We just saw him coming … we were thinking, ‘We need to try to stop him’,” Mr Guerot told 7 News this week.

“We tried to throw the bollard. We really wanted to stop him.”

Mr Guerot had been in Australia on a visa when his heroic actions captured the hearts of Australians everywhere.

The Prime Minister confirmed on Tuesday that he’d make sure Mr Guerot wouldn’t have any difficulty with his visa application.

“The French national, Damien, who people saw with such bravery on Saturday, I say this to Damien, who is dealing with his visa applications, that you are welcome here, you are welcome to stay for as long as you like,” Mr Albanese said.

“This is someone who we would welcome becoming an Australian citizen, although that would of course be a loss for France.

“We thank him for his extraordinary bravery.

“It says a lot about the nature of humanity at a time when we are facing difficult issues that someone who is not a citizen of this country stood bravely at the top of those escalators and stopped this perpetrator from getting onto another floor and potentially inflicting further carnage on citizens.

“I think that on Saturday we saw some of the best of human character at the same time as we saw such devastating tragedy.

“And I thank Damien for his extraordinary efforts.”

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he would back the Prime Minister’s decision to help Mr Guerot’s visa application.

“I support the Prime Minister’s generous offer ... we shouldn’t be afraid of wanting people to come to our country who are the best people” Mr Dutton said on Tuesday.

“When you look at the images of that young French citizen standing at the top of the escalator with a bollard, putting his own life at risk to protect others, he embodies the Anzac spirit and we would want people of that character in our country.

“I think it is a good call by the Prime Minister and I’m happy to support it.”