Australian far-right senator Pauline Hanson storms out after censure over ‘inflammatory’ anti-Muslim remarks | EUROtoday

The Australian senate on Monday voted to censure far-right lawmaker Pauline Hanson for making “inflammatory and divisive” remarks about Muslims, sparking a dramatic outburst within the chamber.

Ms Hanson, chief of the anti-immigration One Nation celebration, got here beneath fireplace final month after she questioned how anybody may declare that there have been “good Muslims”.

On Monday, international minister Penny Wong moved the ruling Labor celebration’s movement to censure Ms Hanson for making remarks that sought to “vilify Muslim Australians” and affirmed parliament’s assist for migrants.

The movement handed with backing from the minor Greens celebration and two Liberal senators – Paul Scarr and Andrew McLachlan – who crossed the ground to vote in favour of the condemnation. It handed by 36 votes to 17.

This is Ms Hanson’s second parliamentary censure in 4 months.

To declare “none of them are good”, referring to Muslims, was to say there have been “no good Australians amongst them and it is to tell a child that no matter how hard they study, how kindly they treat others, how much they love this country, they will never belong”, Ms Wong mentioned.

“Nearly a million Australians practise Islam. They are doctors, nurses, tradies, teachers, small business owners, firefighters, police officers and veterans. They are imams, community leaders and role models. They are parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters,” she mentioned.

“They are the first to condemn the radical extremists who commit terrorist acts in the name of religion, and to claim that none of them are good is to say there are no good Australians.”

Ms Hanson was not current for the vote however later made a speech rebuking the censure movement, calling it a “stunt”, earlier than storming out of the chamber.

She mentioned the federal government “can’t stand” the truth that the right-wing celebration was rising in opinion polls.

“The fact is, in your gut, that you can’t stand it. The fact is that One Nation is now on 27 per cent, 28 per cent. You can’t stand it,” Ms Hanson mentioned. Opinion polls present Ms Hanson’s One Nation has overtaken the conservative opposition coalition, with 28 per cent of the first vote, amid rising assist for anti-immigration insurance policies.

“It’s been misreported a lot by the media. You do not even know the full context of what was said,” she added, calling the federal government “gutless”.

In an interview with Sky News, Ms Hanson was requested in regards to the doable return of ladies and kids linked to Isis militants from Syrian refugee camps.

“They hate Westerners, and that’s what it’s all about. You say there are great Muslims out there. Well, I’m sorry, how can you tell me there are good Muslims?” she had mentioned in February, sparking outrage.

She later mentioned she didn’t imagine there have been no “good” Muslims.

She additionally issued a certified apology saying if she had “offended anyone out there that doesn’t believe in sharia law or multiple marriages or wants to bring Isis brides in, or people from Gaza that believe in a caliphate”.

“In general, that is what they want – a world caliphate. And I am not going to apologise … I will have my say now before it’s too late,” she mentioned.

Ms Hanson was suspended from the senate final yr for carrying a burqa within the chamber to attract consideration to her marketing campaign in opposition to face coverings in Australia and demand for a ban. She had staged the same protest in 2017.