Race commissioner calls on Pauline Hanson to apologise amid condemnation of ‘reprehensible’ Muslim comments | Pauline Hanson

Australia’s racial discrimination commissioner has called on Pauline Hanson to apologize for her incendiary comments about Australian Muslims, amid a backlash to comments condemned by others as “reprehensible”.

Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said Hanson was targeting Muslims with his increasingly provocative comments, joining condemnations from across the political spectrum.

“I hesitate to respond to such statements because doing so risks giving more oxygen to emotions that should have no place in our public debate,” he said.

“But comments that exclude and belittle any community have real and lasting impacts.

“Australia’s Muslim communities – like all our communities – deserve to feel safe, respected and included. Public figures have a responsibility to elevate our national conversation, not inflame tensions, divide us or undermine the dignity of others.”

Hanson discussed on Sky News on Monday night that Australian women and children stranded in Syria were being thwarted in their attempts to return home.

He accused the group of hating westerners and said: “You say, ‘Well, there are good Muslims out there.’ How can you tell me there are good Muslims?” he said.

Sivaraman said Hanson should retract his remarks and apologize.

Outspoken National Senator Matt Canavan said in response that Hanson was unfit to lead a political party.

Speaking on Channel 9 on Wednesday morning, Canavan described the comments of his fellow Queensland senator as “not entirely Australian”.

“Pauline’s statement was divisive and provocative,” he said. “It is certainly not Australian for someone to say that there are no good people among Australian Muslims.

“Frankly, I think he went too far and he’s not going to apologize for not doing that now,” Canavan said.

“He is unfit to lead a major political party with such undisciplined statements that insult hundreds of thousands of Australians.”

Hanson walked back some of the comments on ABC radio on Wednesday, saying he would offer a conditional apology if he “offended anyone who doesn’t believe in sharia law or multiple marriages, who wants to bring in ISIS brides or Gazans who believe in the caliphate.”

But he said: “I will not apologize… I will have my say now before it is too late.”

NSW premier Chris Minns described Hanson’s comments as “racist interference”.

“I want to make it clear that New South Wales is full of wonderful Australians of the Muslim faith who care about our country, are a huge part of its future and contribute enormously to where we are today.”

Bilal El-Hayek, mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown, which includes the Lakemba Mosque, told 2GB radio that Hanson “made a new attempt to be divisive and inflame the situation.”

“It’s a shame to see people playing politics at a time when we should be coming together,” he said.

“In reality, we are a multicultural, multi-faith community in Canterbury-Bankstown. Whatever your background and faith, we all get along.”

When asked about Tuesday’s comments, new opposition leader Angus Taylor defended the Muslim community but did not directly criticize Hanson.

“I know many good Muslims,” ​​he said. “They are among my constituents. I have many of them.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC radio on Tuesday that he had always supported “division” when asked whether Hanson was guilty of racism.

“Pauline Hanson is someone who never creates solutions, only identifies and encourages complaints,” he said.

“This is absolutely prejudice. And it’s division that provides no solution. All it does is pit Australian against Australian.”

Hanson is appealing a court ruling that he racially discriminated against Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi when the party’s deputy leader criticized the British Empire following the death of Queen Elizabeth.

“When you immigrated to Australia you took advantage of all the benefits of this country,” Hanson wrote on social media. “It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and go back to Pakistan.”

Addressing the media outside court after the win, Faruqi said the finding sent “a strong message to racists that they will be held accountable” and made clear that “hate speech is not freedom of expression.”

Hanson had previously been criticized for demeaning Muslims when she wore a burqa in the Senate chamber last year. He was suspended from the room for seven days.

His fiery maiden speech in 1996 fueled race as an issue in federal policy, claiming Australia was “in danger of being swamped by Asians”.