Pauline Hanson censured over Muslim comments but only two Coalition senators back motion | One Nation

Pauline Hanson has been condemned again by the federal Senate as two Liberal senators took to the floor to support a motion calling the One Nation leader’s recent comments about Australian Muslims “provocative and divisive”.

Hanson described the offer of censure, the second she received in four months following her hijab-wearing demonstration in parliament last year, as a “joke”, with a theatrical slap on the wrist before storming out of parliament ahead of the final vote. While the Greens and most others supported Labour’s censure motion, the Coalition decided to oppose it, saying censures should be reserved for the most serious behaviour.

But Liberal moderate senators Paul Scarr and Andrew McLachlan took the floor, separated from their colleagues and helped the motion pass 36-17. No One Nation senators participated in the final vote.

Labor moved to condemn Hanson for comments he made to Sky News in February; where the One Nation leader said: “You say, ‘Well, there are good Muslims out there.’ How can you tell me there are good Muslims?”

Hanson refused to apologize for the comments and stood by them in subsequent interviews. However, he later issued a partial apology, saying he was sorry for “offending people in Gaza who do not believe in sharia law or multiple marriages, or who want to bring in ISIS brides, or who believe in the caliphate.”

However, he later went on to claim: “Broadly speaking, that’s what they want, a world caliphate. And I won’t apologize.”

The government motion, as read by Senate leader Penny Wong, said Australia was “built by the hard work, sacrifice and desire of people of all races and faiths”, was “assured that all Australians are valued, welcomes members of our society” and “rejects any attempt to denigrate people on the basis of their religion”.

The motion called on the Senate to reiterate its emphasis that “hate speech cannot be tolerated during MPs’ public debates if parliament is to be a safe place for everyone who works and visits it” and called on all senators to “refrain from provocative and divisive comments both inside and outside the chamber”.

He demanded the Senate condemn Hanson for his “inflammatory and divisive comments intended to denigrate Australian Muslims”.

The Greens supported the motion but senator Mehreen Faruqi described it as “performative” and claimed it did not address deeper issues of racism. Coalition senator Michaelia Cash said the opposition would support parts of Labour’s censure motion calling for respectful debate and praising the contribution of multicultural Australians, but would not support the paragraph effectively condemning Hanson.

Cash said Hanson’s comments were wrong but that a formal vote of no confidence “should not be used as a routine tactic to score political points.”

“I don’t think Senator Hanson’s comments were appropriate. Why? Because I personally have Muslim friends. My mother’s best friend is Muslim, so I have to say, I think there are good Muslims in Australia,” Cash said.

However, Liberal senators Scarr and McLachlan, who was sacked as immigration spokesman following the leadership spill under Angus Taylor, took to the floor to support Labor’s motion.

Before the final vote, Hanson briefly addressed the motion of no confidence, telling parliament: “This is a demonstration.”

“People outside are tired of it… You can’t stand One Nation being at 27%, 28% [in opinion polls].”

Another shouting match broke out in the Senate chamber between Hanson and Lidia Thorpe, before Hanson theatrically slapped her on the wrist, said “you’re all a joke” and walked out.

The motion was presented in two parts, allowing the Coalition to support the first part of the motion with symbolic calls for respectful debate. The first part of the proposal was carried out on voices; In fact, the second division, which condemned Hanson, trailed 36-17.

Labour, the Greens, Thorpe, David Pocock and Tammy Tyrrell, as well as McLachlan and Scarr, also supported censorship; The Coalition and Ralph Babet opposed it.

Hanson’s divisive comments on Sky were harshly criticized across the political spectrum, including from Labour, the Greens, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan and Australia’s racial discrimination commissioner. Federal police said they had received a “crime” report regarding his comments, but legal scholars said it was unclear what law might have been violated.

One Nation is rising in opinion polls; 22% of respondents to the Guardian Essential poll say they will vote for Hanson’s party, while nearly 60% say they are at least open to voting for One Nation in the next federal election.

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Hanson’s office has been contacted for comment.

Thorpe supported the motion but also said it did not go far enough in tackling racism. He claimed the government’s tactic was “a political ploy designed to squeeze the Coalition and disrupt preference negotiations with One Nation in the Farrer by-election”.

Hanson said he was open to negotiations with the Coalition on electoral preference agreements and closer cooperation in parliament. Liberal shadow minister Andrew Hastie is among the Coalition members open to such an arrangement, telling Sky News on Sunday: “One Nation supporters need to be taken more seriously now.”

Asked about a potential preference deal, Hastie said: “I don’t see any harm in it.

“These are normal Australians and I am happy to work with anyone on the centre-right who wants to deliver better outcomes for the Australian people.”