Australia’s high court has agreed to hear Pauline Hanson’s appeal against a ruling that she engaged in racial discrimination against Mehreen Faruqi when she told the Greens senator to “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan”.
asserted
she → agree → Pakistan
The One Nation leader was granted special leave to appeal on Thursday after the full federal court earlier this year unanimously upheld a 2024 decision.
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court → grant → decision
The high court will examine whether Hanson’s comments breached the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) or if the federal court decision impeded her implied freedom of speech.
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decision → examine → speech
Hanson welcomed the decision on social media, saying “this case has always been bigger than me and bigger than one tweet”.
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case → welcome → tweet
“Australians must be able to speak their minds, question their government and disagree with each other without being frightened into silence,” the 72-year-old senator wrote.
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senator → speak → silence
“That freedom is under attack, including through Labor’s digital duty of care bill and its threat to lawful debate online.”
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freedom → include → debate
Faruqi said in a statement on Thursday: “Bring it on.”
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Faruqi → say → it
“This has been a long, hard road walked alongside everyone who has been targeted by racism.
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who → walk → racism
We won’t be backing down now,” the Greens senator wrote.
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senator → back → ?
“The highest court in Australia can now determine once and for all that people in this country are protected against racism.
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people → determine → racism
People of colour, migrants and Muslims deserve to feel safe in the place they call home.
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they → deserve → place
In times like these where we are being attacked and demonised, our legal system must be able to provide protection against vilification.”
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system → attack → vilification
A spokesperson for the federal attorney general, Michelle Rowland, said section 18C of the RDA was more important to Australia’s social cohesion “than ever”.
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section → say → cohesion
“As the matter is before the court, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → comment → court
“The Australian government’s position is clear: there is no place for racism or racial hatred in our society.”
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position → be → society
The dispute arose in 2022 after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
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dispute → arise → II
Faruqi tweeted: “Condolences to those who knew the Queen.
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who → tweet → Queen
I cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples.
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I → mourn → peoples
We are reminded of the urgency of Treaty with First Nations, justice & reparations for British colonies & becoming a republic.”
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We → remind → colonies
In response, Hanson posted: “Your attitude appalls and disgusts me.
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attitude → post → me
When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country.
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you → immigrate → country
You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament.
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You → take → parliament
It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan – PH.”
Justice Angus Stewart in November 2024 found Hanson’s tweet was unlawful and portrayed Faruqi as a “second-class citizen” who took advantage of Australia and who, as a migrant to the country, “should be grateful for what she has and keep quiet” – a position he declared to be “exclusionary”.
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he → ’ → what
Stewart found Hanson’s comment that Faruqi should “piss off back to Pakistan” was a “variant of the slogan ‘go back to from where you came from’”, which he said was a “racist trope” and a “strong form of racism”.
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he → find → racism
He added that Hanson’s tweet, given her profile, likely “empowered others” to make similar or worse comments.
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tweet → add → comments
The judge rejected Hanson’s arguments, including that Faruqi’s tweet on the queen’s death justified her response.
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tweet → reject → response
He found Hanson’s tweet did not fall within the fair comment exemption because it was an “angry, personal attack”.
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it → find → exemption
Stewart’s judgment was unanimously upheld in July this year by the three federal court judges Melissa Perry, Geoffrey Kennett and Elizabeth Bennett.
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judgment → uphold → judges
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