Hanson’s tweet ‘unfit for afternoon tea but not racist’
When Pauline Hanson told the Greens senator to pack her bags and return to Pakistan, she was acting not out of racism but out of a need to expose hypocrisy.
That’s the claim the One Nation leader has challenged court findings that he engaged in “serious offensive” and intimidating behavior towards Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi.
Lawyer Sue Chrysanthou SC argued at the Federal Court appeal hearing on Monday that Senator Hanson’s September 2022 remarks – although not fit for afternoon tea or the courtroom – were expected by Australian Twitter users accustomed to politicians’ argy barges.
The court can’t sit in the ivory tower writing things they wouldn’t typically say in person without grappling with how Twitter users behave in 2022, the lawyer said.
The lawyer stated that Senator Hanson’s post was based on Senator Faruqi’s comments about Queen Elizabeth II. He said it was an attack on his personal views regarding Elizabeth’s death and was not motivated by her race, colour, national or ethnic origin.
On the day the Queen died, Senator Faruqi took to Twitter, now known as X, to express his condolences to those who knew the monarch.
But he added that he could not mourn the passing of the leader of “a racist empire built on the stolen lives, lands and wealth of colonized peoples.”
In response, Senator Hanson said he was appalled and disgusted by the comments.
“When you immigrated to Australia you enjoyed all the advantages of this country,” he wrote.
“It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and go back to Pakistan.”
Ms Chrysanthou told the court the court’s finding that the words actually frightened black Australian immigrants was excessive.
He said Senator Hanson’s tweet followed hours of posts by others making similar accusations against the Greens deputy leader.
The lawyer said he pointed out Senator Faruqi’s alleged hypocrisy by criticizing the country in deciding to immigrate here, buying property and living off taxpayer income as a senator.
The court was told Judge Angus Stewart did not take that context into account when finding the One Nation leader had engaged in racism.
Ms Chrysanthou said Greens then-leader Adam Bandt was also told to leave Australia after calling for a republic on the day the Queen died.
Senator Hanson’s post did not reference any ethnic group; for example, “Go the hell out of Pakistan, and so should everyone else in Pakistan.”
“There doesn’t necessarily have to be a racially motivated reason to say to this person, ‘Why don’t you get out of here? If you don’t like it here, leave,'” Ms. Chrysanthou said.
Hanson’s tweet was found to have breached Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, a clause that has survived repeated efforts by conservative politicians to strike it down.
In her findings in November 2024, Justice Stewart found that black immigrants, recently immigrated Australians or non-white Muslims in Australia would be insulted, offended, humiliated and intimidated by the tweet.
“This is the message that Senator Faruqi, as an immigrant, is a second-class citizen and should be grateful for what he has and remain silent,” he said in his speech. Federal Court decision.
The judge explained that the phrase “go back to where you came from” was a racist, anti-immigrant and nativist trope dating back to the White Australia Policy.
The appeal hearing continues.
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