Why these Brisbane Muslim students spoke to Pauline Hanson
Muslim students who exchanged views with Pauline Hanson as part of an hour-long interview filmed in early July explained why they sat down with the controversial senator.
Hanson visited the Islamic College of Brisbane and spoke to three high-achieving female students as part of the conference. Seven Agenda special It traces the One Nation leader’s self-described “truth-finding mission” to the UK.
Year 12 student Maryam and Year 10 student Nabiha, who were criticized by Hanson for her religious face covering, told ABC Brisbane they wanted to directly investigate Hanson’s “anti-Muslim” rhetoric.monoculture” and claims to be there”“There are no good Muslims”.
“I’m really tired of him berating us, telling us that we’re bad and what we’re doing is absolutely wrong without anyone hearing our side of the story,” Nabiha said.
“I wanted to be the person to tell him, ‘No, what you’re saying isn’t exactly true about us… This is who we really are.'”
Maryam said she did not come to the interview with any other agenda, that she had no desire to “become prime minister”, but instead hoped to study medicine at university next year.
“I just want people to hear my story and what I represent: other young women and Muslim women in general,” she said.
“I think it’s really important for Australians to hear our voices.”
While the meeting between the senator and the school lasted more than an hour, the entire school visit was aired in just under eight minutes.
Among the materials left on the cutting room floor were questions from the school’s chief executive, Ali Kadri, about Hanson’s decision to criticize foreign flags while wearing an Israeli flag.
Speaking to this imprint, Kadri said he was disappointed that more of the interview could not be shown.
“Every minute counted and he couldn’t provide the full context of this conversation,” he said.
“The senator asked some pretty hostile questions and didn’t get the answer properly, so I don’t think eight minutes is an accurate reflection of what’s actually going on.”
Maryam said she suspected the One Nation leader “wasn’t really listening to us at all” for most of the meeting.
“I was going in with an open mind and, to be honest, I was hoping Pauline would be open-minded too… It was really my main goal to have a respectful attitude towards her,” the 12th grader said.
“I don’t know why you came to our school.”
Kadri said that students were given information before the interview and support was provided afterwards.
He said the school is still awaiting a copy of Seven’s complete recording and hopes to use it as a learning in humanities classes such as civics.
Kadri reiterated his call for Hanson to return to school, but said he did not expect Hanson’s views to change after the meeting.
“It all depends on him, our doors are open,” he said.
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