The Perils of Pauline

July 6, 2016
Written by: Dr Jennifer Wilson
50 Replies

Pauline Hanson has re-emerged as mouthpiece for the nation’s racism, going where the dog whistlers dare not venture, vocalising “what ordinary people are really thinking and are too scared to say.” This time her bile is directed against Muslims as well as Asians and Indigenous peoples: anyone who isn’t white and Christian, perhaps?

In a rather surprising move, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Hanson is not welcome in the parliament, surprising because he has not said this about any of his right-wing colleagues, many of whom share Hanson’s views. Surprising as well because Hanson is an elected representative in a liberal democracy, and Turnbull has no choice but to accept her presence in the Senate because voters put her there.

In May 2016 journalist Malcolm Farr wrote that voters do not want Hanson in parliament, any parliament, but voters do, and Hanson is. Railing against Hanson is getting people nowhere: she’s come back even stronger than before.

This piece by Margot Kingston in the Guardian on Monday is interesting in that Kingston advocates a change of approach to Hanson, one of respect and conciliation rather than mockery and scorn. While I don’t agree that it’s productive to embark on the re-education of Pauline Hanson, I do believe Kingston is right to suggest that we pay attention to the circumstances of the people who have voted her, and possibly two more One Nation candidates, back into the parliament. I also agree that scapegoating Hanson only gives her and her supporters fuel.

Both major parties have used racist tactics to distract voters from their failures to adequately govern: the manipulation of waterborne asylum seekers is an outstanding example of this: the creation of non-existent threats from which both major parties have promised to deliver us has led to the criminal and inhumane indefinite incarceration of innocent people on Manus and Nauru.

Hanson has been far from alone in exploiting fear and ignorance for political gain. It’s only a few weeks since Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told the country that asylum seekers will simultaneously take our jobs and bludge off our social services.

Given that John Howard co-opted most of Hanson’s beliefs and made them fundamental tenets of his LNP, where they remain comfortably unchallenged, I’m inclined to wonder how much of the elite political and media animosity towards Hanson is to do with class, and gender.

Much of what Hanson espouses seems to me gibberish: a Royal Commission into Islam, for example? She seems at times inarticulate: a seething mass of inchoate prejudice, while the more sophisticated know how to convey a not dissimilar prejudice in a manner more covert. Indeed, the only positive thing to be said about Hanson is that she lacks all subtlety: there can be no doubt about her bad intentions towards those who are not her: what you see is what you get. Hanson doesn’t spin.

Kingston herself has expressed some views on Muslims that have been interpreted as racist. She recently tweeted: OK, I’m gonna blow myself up. I think Muslim refugees should seek refuge in Muslim countries unless they embrace western values.

Kingston explained that the western values to which she refers are respect for the rule of law, freedom of speech, women’s, gays’ rights.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting these values embraced and practiced: the problem is singling out Muslims as a group that particularly needs to embrace them. Many of our white Christian politicians have no respect for some of those values, and some don’t have respect for any of them. Presumably their electorates support their views, as Hanson’s do hers. The elites who sneer at Hanson and her electorate need to attend to the racist logs in their own eyes.

I have a visceral reaction when I see and hear of particular groups being singled out for no reason other than religious belief, ethnicity, and race. I feel sick with fear, not of the groups but of the mindset that chooses certain groups as targets for “special” treatment, marginalisation and hostility. This may have something to do with my late husband being a Jew. We had friends who survived the camps. Their families were slaughtered because they were Jews. My husband and his family experienced prejudice and discrimination because they were Jews. They supported “western values,” but that didn’t save them.

I don’t like Hanson. I’m very sorry she’s back. I think it’s going to be a difficult and frightening time for members of the groups she targets, as her views are widely disseminated through her role as a senator, and parliamentary privilege.

Hanson is the head of the throbbing boil that is Australian racism. The discharge will be copious and vile. But let’s not fool ourselves that Hanson is our only problem: the racism and bigotry she extols is far more widespread than the ugly manifesto of One Nation. Hanson is right: she’s articulating what many think, however the many who think this way are not comprised solely of ignorant rednecks: they also dwell in very high places.

This article was originally published on No Place For Sheep.

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FedUpJuly 6, 2016 at 10:24 am

You are all so misinformed. None of you have any idea what this woman is about. Is it wrong to want to protect your country and people?Maybe all you people out there should take a good look around you. As far as Islam goes Pauline is spot on. This is not a religion, it’s a sect/cult filled with hatred and killing of any Christian or anyone who does not convert to Muslim. Noone know what goes on in those mosques, Islamic schools, Not even the stinking government! Maybe you should be the ones going and educating yourselves on Islam! You just may form a whole different opinion. Stop pretending all these people are the salt of the earth!

Florence nee FedupJuly 6, 2016 at 10:30 am

I suggest we all refrain from abusing Hanson, that we treat her with respect at all times, while disagreeing strongly with what she says. Play the ball, not the person.

That we use her “please explain? “

Mark NeedhamJuly 6, 2016 at 10:41 am

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/04/pauline-hanson-takes-centre-stage-again-but-this-time-we-should-listen-not-lampoon
A differing view of the Lady.
The “Racist” tag is most often mis-used, derogatory and unhelpful, to all parties in conversation.
Most times, our unassailable belief in our selves and being “Right” precludes us from good conversation.
Mark Needham

Chris HealeJuly 6, 2016 at 10:41 am

Pauline Hanson is not politically correct. It is sad that there is so many victims out there who react so badly when they hear someone with views different to themselves. I read and listen to Pauline Hanson and think good on her for having the guts to say what she thinks. I might not agree with her but I am willing to defend her right to speak freely here. History would be very different today if tribes in ancient time did not fight people entering their lands and using their resources. This was an important reaction against extinction or enslavement. I wonder if neaderthals were politically correct and therefore did not fight when strangers started appearing in their lands tens of thousands of years ago. Perhaps they lay down there spears and held their arms open wide and said welcome to our home.

helvityniJuly 6, 2016 at 10:42 am

Could Margot Kingston, please, explain to me what the so-called Western values are. I have lived and worked in Finland, Sweden, Holland, Germany and in Australia. None of those countries have exactly the same values, there’s always need for adjustments.

There’s also a lot of talk of specific Aussie values, one year you had to know about a game called cricket, when applying for a citizenship. I would have failed as I thought a cricket was an insect…

Pauline and Margot, please explain. I want to fit in with the Aussie Rules, but I’m not going to HATE anyone, dislike is far as I go….

Steve Laing - makeourvoiceheard.comJuly 6, 2016 at 10:45 am

Hanson reveals herself to be immune from logic and fact. But, as you say, her views are little different from those of a number on the LNP backbench who Turnbull fails to reprimand, and Abbott and Howard actually encouraged. Is it any surprise that the racists feel increasingly emboldened? Turnbull’s failure to act is yet another Pontius Pilate move. Leave the hard graft of sorting the problem out to those on the progressive side of politics. As is always the case.

Turnbull et al don’t care though. They are barricaded from the fear and the violence in their harbourside mansions. They are like the generals in the Great War sending the troops over the top. A few casualties amongst the troops is fair price for them to have the good life.

But back in the “Mother country” as soon as any real scrutiny is applied, those great leaders who were the cause of, and then the leaders of the Brexit fiasco have all run a mile. The same will happen with Hanson who will again reveal her true dreary awfulness, and her followers will start to fall away, leaving the residual ignorant rump. She isn’t worth hating, or even worth disliking.

Peter FJuly 6, 2016 at 11:24 am

@Fedup ” it’s a sect/cult filled with hatred and killing of any Christian or anyone who does not convert to Muslim”

How do you relate this to the fact that most of the people killed by ISIS are Muslim? Muslim leaders have stated in the past 24 hours that , for ISIS, Terrorism is their religion, not Muslim.

LjJuly 6, 2016 at 11:47 am

I agree with Margot on this point of Pauline Hanson.
“Kingston explained that the western values to which she refers are respect for the rule of law, freedom of speech, women’s, gays’ rights.”
Pauline’s Ban On Muslims comes I think from the above line., Let me explain.
We, as a western civilisation have come so far to erode inequality in many respects and area’s. Women’s Rights, Equal Rights ( Woman &
Man ) Sexual, physical, and verbal violence and intimidation, Gay rights and equality such as homophobia, Same sex marriage, Discrimination, Child abuse both physical, mental and sexual, Giving women a voice to stand up for themselves etc.

Now on those above point’s alone let me post some links here that will explain things better.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-05-17/muslim-group-wants-sharia-law-in-australia/2717096
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/community-under-siege/sharia-law-used-to-settle-divorces-in-muslim-community/news-story/c138bc650967b9f51d1bd62a31d64f18
https://aifs.gov.au/publications/family-matters/issue-84/legal-recognition-sharia-law
https://www.facebook.com/BH.Australia/
https://www.facebook.com/BH.Australia/photos

This would be the main focus of Pauline Hansons Ban’s On Muslims.
Why?? ( and these are just assumptions.)
Under sharia law it is permissable for a man to take and marry an 8yr old child as his bride, have genital mutilation performed on her
which no Australian doctor will perform, so it is done in the community, often using barbaric system of just a razor blade,. Then at age
9 he may consumate the marriage with sexual intercourse ( Sexual abuse against children is illegal in western culture ) but not islamic
culture nor under Sharia law.
A women is only worth half as much as a man according to both islamic culture and sharia law.
If a women is raped under sharia law, she must obtain the witness of 7 males, to charge and prosecute the offender, if the offender is found guilty, so is the women that got raped, often the women is either stoned to death, whipped, or killed in an honor killing, just being raped. How do those values work with western civillisation???

Halal.
Animals are not to be stunned and must have their throats slit whilst still alive under sharia and islamic cultures.
Australian LAw’s and practices states that an animal must be stunned prior to being killed to lessen the pain and sufference of the animal
prior to butchering.
Again, 2 different values 2 different views 2 different cultures.
Under sharia law a muslim man/male may have upto 3 wives, only allah is permitted more, but a women may only have 1 husband.

If a women seeks a divorce from her husband she only gets a small amt of the estate compared to western culture where it is based on
many factors.
If a muslim husband dies whilst married, the wife/wives only inherit half of the value if it were a male to inherit the estate of the husband because women are treated lesser equal to that of males.

The whole point of Pauline Hansons Ban on muslims is that their culture, practices, beliefs and religion is bad for western culture as it goes against everything this country alone has worked hard to achieve and enforce. If the religion and islamic culture were to adapt
to more principled ways of living and more modern times or remove or make Haram ( Bad/Not allowed/wrong )certain aspects of their culture and such then yes I would disagree with Pauline Hanson on Banning Muslim’s, But as it stands, I agree with her on that point alone regarding muslims being banned.

Simply looking up the Quran/Koran/ or whatever they call it will let you see and judge the differences between western
cultures and Muslims cultures and beliefs and practices, yet, she is the only politician willing to stand up and speak up
against them.

As one other respsondent has said, if they want to migrate or seek asylum, let it be in other muslim countries, not western
secualr cultures, that way they dont have to fight, argue, force, rape or try to dictate their way of life on non muslims and they get the same cultures and such in other muslim countries.

kerriJuly 6, 2016 at 11:54 am

I think more could be achieved by attacking the accuracy and ignorance of Hanson’s stance!
She claims she does not believe in Halal Certification as if it were the tooth fairy or Father Christmas?
It has emerged she was paid to appear on Sunrise! The media love her almost as much as she loves them and many who follow her are as ignorant of facts as she is! Better to make her a non issue than to inflame and reinforce the reactive ignorance of her voter base!

Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 12:06 pm

Muslims must obey the laws of the country they live in. You post is irrelevant to Australia.

I could just as easily talk about Egyptian Coptic Christians who practice genital mutilation. I could talk about the Royal families of Europe marrying little children. I could talk about the rape of children by priests. Are you against kosher food as well? I am against slaughter without stunning but, according to the RSPCA, the vast majority of halal slaughter in Australia (including at export abattoirs) complies with this standard, that is, all animals are stunned prior to slaughter. The only difference is that a reversible stunning method is used, while conventional humane slaughter may use an irreversible stunning method.

Instead of worrying about what happens in entirely different cultures, could you explain how life in Australia has been in any way changed or threatened.

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:09 pm

” Is it wrong to want to protect your country and people?”

No FedUp, it isn’t. We want to protect our country and people from Pauline Hanson and her idiot supporters.

FreethinkerJuly 6, 2016 at 12:10 pm

What Pauline Hanson is achieving is giving the “courage” to those that share similar ideas to start talking in the open about their views on race, religion and the so called “values”
Do not think that only Hanson and those that voted for her are plain racists, that are worried that Australia is going to loose their culture, way of life because the Asians, Muslims or any other race or culture.
There are hundred of thousands more that have very close views to Hanson, to Brandis and Dutton, They do not identifying with her on the open because they are “more educated”
Think about those that support the detention camps where crime and atrocities are committed daily., they are the same, they are using excuses to commit crime “to save other life”
It is sad but it is a reality, it a human behavior showed in the history for thousand of years.

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:11 pm

Chris Heale, free speech was never intended to apply to racial vilification, slander and lies.

jimhazJuly 6, 2016 at 12:13 pm

[She claims she does not believe in Halal Certification as if it were the tooth fairy or Father Christmas?]

But it is the same. It is a fantasy.

I thought LJ’s post was on the mark.

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:16 pm

LJ, Pauline Hanson believes that women invent claims of domestic violence because their husbands don’t like the dress they are wearing. Pauline Hanson is treating women like second rate citizens. As a victim of domestic violence that had nothing to do with my clothing and everything to do with a violent man’s alcoholism and delusion, Pauline Hanson can get stuffed.

Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 12:25 pm

If any of you know of a child who has been married in Australia then contact the police….or are you just repeating crap?

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:34 pm

I don’t think any of them know anyone in Australia with three wives either. Mormons can have more than that, and last time I checked theirs was a Christian religion, but polygamy is not permitted in Australia.

Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 12:59 pm

I would also like to question this idea that western values embrace women’s and gay rights.

“As far as I can see in the New Testament in the writings of the apostle Paul, homosexuality is listed as sin. So what I think doesn’t really matter, its what the Bible says that I have to live by.“ – Brian Houston, leader of Scott Morrison’s Hillsong Church.

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:11-15

Sydney’s Archbishop George Pell told pilgrims at World Youth Day in Toronto “abortion is a worse moral scandal than priests sexually abusing young people”.

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 1:19 pm

Brian Houston’s father Frank Houston was a self-confessed kiddy fiddler. His kiddy fiddling victims included males. Frank was a senior pastor within the Assemblies of God. Brian and other members of the AOG (that’s a fundamentalist *Christian* church, btw) knew this but none of them ever reported it to the police. Brian Houston, like every other Christian, cherry picks the bible verses he chooses to live by. We don’t need lessons in morality from Brian Houston.

LjJuly 6, 2016 at 1:43 pm

Athena, you missed my point on that part I think.
Pauline may think that but I do not and will not. I used that point to make a different view point in the differences of being treated differently in cultures.
I believe in women’s rights, liberities, freedom and am against domestic violence in all forms.
I do not condone Pauline’s views on domestic violence and abhor that it happens, We ( Australia ) have come along way to combat this
and we still have along way to go before we can fully eradicate it.
Kaylee….
Homosexuality was never used in the bible till 1942, Homosexuality or any general description there of was never put into the bible till 1942. prior to then in the bible, homosexuality had never existed, it is man created.
The only true laws if you want to talk about biblical authenticity is
The 10 commandments of god, the rest is man created, wrote,versed, theorised and discussed and penned.
Athena.
I agree she can get stuffed as far as domestic violence is concerned, you have my heart there.
but if I may also add, SOME ( very small amount ) domestic violence claims have been found to be false by courts and such.
I know domestic violence i have lived it and survived it,but i know others that have used it to make false claims in the courts and to police.
and that lead to a horrid time for all parties involved.
Kaylee.
If muslims must obey the law of the land they live??as you say/
Then prey tell me how a 12yr old can be pregnant and her husband who is 32 get married in Australia, ( Covered by chanell 7 Qld News.
the man was found guilty of child abuse and is now currently serving a prison sentence.

My point about Paulines Ban On Muslims as I am assumming would be because of those reasoning above I assume???
i do not know, I will never know. they are just purely guess work.

SGBJuly 6, 2016 at 1:56 pm

I have come to the conclusion that some of the leaders and those zealots of the Islamic religion have much in common with those Christian Inquisitors and zealots, that is that they are prepared to use violence to proselytise and force their beliefs onto others.

Any person prepared to use religion as an excuse for violence should not be welcome as a refugee or an immigrant.

Then lets look at racism.
It is clear, from the support given to overt racists, that Australia, has a significant portion of the population, as racists.
Many of those racists are self confessed Christians, who use their religious belief to assert their racist mantra.

These people have no place in our instruments of governance!
And neither do religious zealots.

We are a secular country where religions are accepted as a right for an individual to pursue, therefore religious convictions or pursuits have no place and certainly no authority in our governance as a nation.

As such any individual who expresses a religious view of any kind in their position of government should automatically be removed from office.

Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 2:32 pm

because of those reasoning above

I think so too. ?

who expresses a religious view of any kind in their position of government should automatically be removed from office.

MPs call on God everyday during ‘prayers’. So they all must go? ?

Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to vouchsafe Thy special blessing upon this Parliament, and that Thou wouldst be pleased to direct and prosper the work of Thy servants to the advancement of Thy glory, and to the true welfare of the people of Australia.

Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Keitha GranvilleJuly 6, 2016 at 3:04 pm

Goodness, there is so much vitriol here on many sides against religion – any religion.

What happened to a fair go for anyone who wants to call Australia home ?Isn’t that why most of our migrants are here – because we have a free and fair society, a democracy where everyone’s voice can be heard. Pauline has a view, obviously many support her. The sensible move is to encourage dialogue with her, and them. Only by talking can we educate and resolve issues. That’s what parliament is for.
I am not going to enter into the unholy mess that religions have foisted on the world. Christian, Muslims, Jews – anyone – have perpetrated some horrors on the world through the ages. We can’t fix any of that now, we can’t change it. We CAN stop doing it.

Live and let live, love your neighbour as yourself, practise random acts of kindness. If we all could live by those mantras we’d have a happy and diverse country.

ZathrasJuly 6, 2016 at 3:05 pm

Hanson is yet another who cannot and seems unwilling to discriminate between religion and culture.

Just to name a couple, the biggest Muslim countries in the world are Indonesia, Pakistan and India. At least two of these discriminated so harshly against women they made one President and the incidence of female genital mutilation (a non-religious but cultural practice) is most predominant in Christian African countries.

Her anti-Halal stance is very similar to the anti-Kosher one promoted by Wally Butterworth during the sixties via the American Voters and Buyers League (which was a recruiting shop-front for the KKK).

Her running mate – Malcolm Roberts – is a rabid conspiracist who believes the CSIRO is a tool of international bankers, who over the past century have also orchestrated every major financial boom and bust since 1913 and the UN was created at the urging of those international bankers, who are using it as a vehicle to usher in a New World Order.
He also believes every Australian Prime Minister of the post-War period – except John Howard – was a Fabian-socialist-Manchurian candidate.

In the end Hanson’s about creating division and hatred for personal gain, not to make this country a better place. She never talks about inclusiveness or harmony, just divisive rhetoric about “us and them”.

There are still many fear of Muslims, do not understand their culture, are not ready to accept them as Australians and underneath that is fear and that fear equals votes.

Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 3:10 pm

Lj,

“the man was found guilty of child abuse and is now currently serving a prison sentence.”

Can’t you see that you just made my point?

Could I also point out that the bible is man made?

From Islam today….

“Muslims living in non-Muslim countries have to comply with laws and regulations of the country they have been entrusted though valid visas to enter. At the same time, they have to avoid whatever contradicts Islamic teachings. In case they are obliged by law to uphold something contrary to Islamic teachings, they have to adhere to the minimum that the law requires of them.

One of the best approaches for a Muslim living in these countries is patience. As long as he agrees to live in a non-Muslim country, he is never to rebel against the inhabitants of his choice of residence, even if it seems to hard for him to endure.”

http://en.islamtoday.net/node/604

Mr WizardJuly 6, 2016 at 3:18 pm

You have got to give it to Pauline for her tenacity. I said for a long long time we shut her out the debate. Instead of airing some of her issues. Now she’s BACK. Shes’s angry and we still have some of those issues. So let’s be nice; educate her and her followers when we can. It’s going to be hard work but lets try. Education is about paying it forward without ridicule.

jimhazJuly 6, 2016 at 3:31 pm

So we just add to all the dickhead Christian fundies already here, it seems.

Everything is a numbers game and what is keeping Islamic fundies quiet here is the low Muslim percentage of the population – much as the far Christian right has done to the LNP. We can afford to oversight the radicals – there just aren’t very many and get stopped in their tracks. Once the muslim population triples, as it would in very fast time under this sites severed artery spraying bleeding hearts, then l’m sure things will change on both sides. Muslims will seek to make legal more religious insanities, there will be more terrorism until the middle east is sorted out…and the right wingers will react accordingly, they’ll go harder in offense.

Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 4:35 pm

jimhaz,

We are a secular country supposedly. If someone wanted to live the life of a fundamentalist Muslim, they wouldn’t choose here. For starters they would have to be very rich to be able to survive without ever taking out a loan.

Your fears are unfounded. The children of Muslim immigrants, like the children of all immigrants, fit in better than their parents. It is all about tolerance and education. Many Muslims that come here are fleeing from the violence and intolerance of fundamentalists.

I am far more worried about religions like the Brethren and the Scientologists and the charismatic religions, and I resent the way Christianity is being thrust upon us by our government.

No Muslim has ever come knocking on my door trying to convert me. No Muslim group has insisted my child must be taught their religion at school.

FreethinkerJuly 6, 2016 at 4:47 pm

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT – SECT 116

Commonwealth not to legislate in respect of religion
The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

It appears to me that Pauline is pushing for something that can be on the border of been non constitutional.

madeleinekingstonJuly 6, 2016 at 10:30 pm

Why not let this woman cut her own throat? She is a complete disgrace and will soon identify her bigotry to the entire Australian public – yet again and once again in the visible political environment; where according to all accounts she has in the past be not well tolerated; not necessarily because of her (pardon me) bigoted views; but perhaps because of her capacity to embarrass her supporters in such views to the detriment of the credibility of their own views; however those views may be expressed in more muted tones by the Political “Right” however that may be comparatively defined in the context of the comparative political positioning, at the very least; but not necessarily restricted to the major parties, losing sleep, day by day just to find out if they have viable numbers to form government in their own right.

Not even the Right of the Right in politics wants to have a bar of her. Why is that? She is embarrassment. Absolutely unique for her perceived bigotry; possibly give or take one or two of her supporters. But it is her headed figure; persona and incessant bleats that attract attention.

Hanson, For God’s Sake? Why is everyone concerned about this red-headed dish?

Surely it cannot be because of her political views? So what is it then? Some other sort of appeal?

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 10:32 pm

If she doesn’t grow a brain and keeps on flapping her trap with lies, don’t be surprised if someone cuts her throat for her.

Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 10:47 pm

As I have argued elsewhere, give Pauline plenty of rope. Indeed as much as she wants. And then even more.

She wants a Royal Commission into Islam. Let her write the Terms of Reference. Let her justify those terms of Reference in the public domain. Maybe even let her choose who should be ‘invited’ to Chair that Royal Commission? (Perhaps Dyson might be asked? Only jokin ).

(BTW, Athena I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk about ‘cutting throats’ without several ‘disclaimers’.)

Lots of ‘nutters’ about. Why there’s even some who visit this site.

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 11:03 pm

Oh yeah, if somebody commits some violent act against her it will be totally unexpected by everyone. I’m not recommending that anybody does, nor suggesting it. i just won’t be in the slightest bit surprised if it happens. I suspect risk management is a totally foreign concept to our Pauline.

Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 11:08 pm

Watch. She knows about ‘risk’ management. And how to manage same to her best advantage.

Always been the ‘drama queen’. And the punters buy it.

AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 11:15 pm

Oh I remember that video. Is the entire video on Youtube?

Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 11:25 pm

Don’t know about the extent of the ‘video’.

But, like lots of pubs across Australia, Pauline always promises ‘Free beer Tomorrow’ (or its equivalent). Knowing that such a promise is everlasting, given that the ‘tomorrow never comes’. It’s always a promise for the ‘morrow.

Works a treat.

RJJuly 7, 2016 at 12:01 am

This piece of rubbish masquerading as journalism is typical of the leftist traitors who have no regard for current or future Australians. Their hatred towards Hanson simply reflects their fear that people are no longer afraid to speak out, no longer worried about being branded a racist or bigot simply for doing what these cowards are incapable of doing, standing up against a rabid and violent cult who are intent on destroying our beliefs and way of life.

madeleinekingstonJuly 7, 2016 at 3:47 am

Thank you so much AIMN. Normally I am quite timid when it comes to battling with the technical restrictions of the 21st Century. In the first place when everybody tells me I have to express my views in 140 characters, I tend to freeze; especially given that I am not given to expressing my views under such restrictions. Even when I am given 300 words; such restrictions freeze me out,

But when I hear there are one or two Independents; whether or not in the political space in the of alleged representation of the Australian voting public (and presumably also those who for one reason or another; may have faced multiple barriers in terms of exercising a vote; the specific speculative parameters of which are well beyond the scope of this article; let alone presumed word count parameters; far be from me to exceed such limits; but in any case whatever my two dollar limits may be Pauline Hanson? Don’t worry about this woman. She will undo herself. A shameful disgrace. They will pick her out for it. It is inevitable.

I mean the woman went into exile politically or a number of yours; most of us ordinary voters have lost count; not unexpected, since by all accounts most of us only retain approximately ten per cent of what we see hear or read at any one time. But and all; even if we were to make due allowance for the generally accepted principles of memory retention; and if we were, as due accountability principles would require; further investigate the parameters of such presumption; and in any case; were we to reject such presumptive parameters upon full inquiry; but in any case; may I with all respect; ask on the bass of presumptive inquiry’ (pardon me for saying) whether there may be one or two alternative reasons for challenging the usual “presumed” “heretic” perceptions of the politically motivated. But in case I am wrong in my presumptions; may at least register for the record my considerable concerns, as a voter who ticked new fewer than 40 boxes in my recent vote in the 2016 Federal Double Dissolution Election; taking days to arrive at those usual niceties that every voter should aspire to (in ideal circumstances of course).

As you would imagine, such perceived heretics as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party did not merit even one tick in the Senate or any other ballot.

Madeleine Kingston

Victoria (but Nevertheless)

AthenaJuly 7, 2016 at 5:14 am

RJ, Muslims are so intent upon destroying our beliefs and way of life that so many people like you are unaware they have been in Australia since the mid 1800s.

Kaye LeeJuly 7, 2016 at 7:07 am

“reflects their fear that people are no longer afraid to speak out, no longer worried about being branded a racist or bigot”

You are dead right there RJ. Pauline has unleashed the hounds with her ignorant dog whistling and I am horrified that so many people are willing to give her a public platform for her racism and misinformation. We have worked for years to stop discrimination in this country and along comes this woman, who is unbelievably naive and ill-informed, and tries to send us backwards,

“Soon after her election to Parliament, Hanson’s book, “Pauline Hanson — the truth : on Asian immigration, the Aboriginal question, the gun debate and the future of Australia”, was published. In it she makes claims of Aboriginal cannibalism, and in particular, that Aboriginal women ate their babies and tribes cannibalised their members. Hanson told the media that the reason for these claims of cannibalism was to “demonstrate the savagery of Aboriginal society”. David Ettridge, the One Nation party director, explained that the book’s claims were intended to correct ‘misconceptions’ about Aboriginal history. These ‘misconceptions’ were said to be relevant to modern-day Aboriginal welfare funding. He asserted that “the suggestion that we should be feeling some concern for modern day Aborigines for suffering in the past is balanced a bit by the alternative view of whether you can feel sympathy for people who eat their babies”. The book predicted that in 2050 Australia would have a lesbian president of Chinese-Indian background called Poona Li Hung who would be a cyborg. In 2004, Hanson said that the book was “written by some other people who actually put my name to it” and that while she held the copyright over The Truth, she was unaware that much of the material was being published under her name.”

As Maxine McKew pointed out, Pauline surrounds herself with “the bad boys of politics” who take advantage of her naivity.

She said she wants to change the constitutional definition of marriage, except the Constitution doesn’t mention marriage. She said she wants to ban mosques being built, except the Constitution forbids that. She said she wants to abolish the Family Law Court – she wanted to do the same thing 20 years ago.

Pauline offers no solutions, just a whole heap of ignorant ranting. She has vilified Asians, Africans, Muslims and Aborigines. There is no place for racism in this country.

Graham KJuly 7, 2016 at 11:27 am

I worry about Derryn Hinch just as much as I do about Pauline Hanson as they both want to get rid of 18C. Hinch is blind on many other issues outside his core angst. Pauline Hanson is a puppet lead by the barefaced liar and manipulator James Ashby and her nutty Climate change adviser Malcolm Roberts. There’s not too much wisdom in those 2 .

Florence nee FedupJuly 7, 2016 at 3:29 pm

You give Ashby credit he isn’t entitled to. James is only & always been a puppet whose strings are pulled by others.

Florence nee FedupJuly 7, 2016 at 3:30 pm

Has anyone noticed there are many millions more Muslims being slain & or displaced by ISIS/L.

Florence nee FedupJuly 7, 2016 at 3:33 pm

I have no hatred for Hanson, Suspect few do. Sometimes I feel a little sorry for her. it is the views she pushes, that scares the daylights out of me. The harm she causes to innocent victims.

Dan RowdenJuly 7, 2016 at 4:08 pm

It appears to me that Pauline is pushing for something that can be on the border of been non constitutional.

Her desired bans on mosques and halal certification are emphatically non-constitutional. Her policy on a referendum rather than a plebiscite on SSM is more evidence of her total ignorance of what is, and is not, constitutional. I mean, how the living hell has no-one pointed out to her that referendums are for changing the constitution and that marriage is not in any way defined or governed by that document? Or, is her policy that it should be?

Oh, crap, I’m gunna have to Google it now……damn it all to hell….

Right, so she wants a referendum to change the Constitution to define marriage, even though there is currently no provision for such a thing in the document. What’s the point of that? Maybe we should define every single thing in SECT 51 that the Constitution says the Commonwealth may make laws about.

Dammit, I don’t want to think about this shit right now. I need some wine and a good cry ….

AthenaJuly 7, 2016 at 4:09 pm

“Has anyone noticed there are many millions more Muslims being slain & or displaced by ISIS/L”

Yes. If they were Muslim they wouldn’t be killing fellow Muslims during Ramadan. They’re as representative of mainstream Islam as the Ku Klux Klan or Hitler is representative of mainstream Christianity. They want power and they’re using extreme fear to get it.

AthenaJuly 7, 2016 at 4:15 pm

Dan, I’m worried about increased violence and intolerance from Hanson’s idiot followers. That could get really ugly. I’m not the slightest bit worried about what Pauline claims she is going to achieve in parliament. She will just make herself a laughing stock there. Let’s hope she does it soon and it’s followed by another DD election.

wake up sheeple!July 7, 2016 at 4:21 pm

Bigots,racists and Islamic law experts like Lj,please stop spreading lies &misinformations about Islam and muslims.we Muslim women,are very honoured under our faith,not oppressed or helpless as the mainstream media constantly paints us and you come to the rescue and keep circulating the misconceptions.Please stop demonising and insulting us.Educate your self behind the headings. Thanks Jennifer ,Kaye & ….for breaking the circle .Please read ,How Anti-Muslim Fringe Organizations Became Mainstream:
http://college.unc.edu/2012/11/29/bailstudy/

jimhazJuly 7, 2016 at 4:41 pm

[There is no place for racism in this country]

Sure, but at the same time there is no place to categorise all people with concerns about the impacts of immigration or the acceptance of muslim refugees,as being racist.

Personally, even the very concept of racism feels to me like a bullshit concept in the manner it is used now, which include the rejection (but only rejection by white people), of certain cultural habits. Where I last worked, an Indian boss, now has a section of 70% Indian (all new) and 30% asian (been around for a while). Also a friend worked in security at Sydney Airport but was pushed out by the Indian boss who only wanted Indian employees, and now that area in being investigated for potential immigration fraud.

The desire to be amongst those most like you is intrinsic and it is NOT racism, it is preference.

Dan RowdenJuly 7, 2016 at 5:21 pm

Athena,

I tend to agree that Hanson’s hyperbolic, crass and ignorant modes of expression, along with her actual views, are ultimately self-defeating, but my problem with her is the cultural affect she creates. For me it’s not dissimilar to that produced by radio shock jocks. They may speak shit most of the time but they provide a vehicle through which listeners can experience power and influence vicariously. Hanson’s “I am a voice for the people” type of schlock is actually very affective/effective and appealing to all those plebs who really think their opinion is more valuable than society – and the [gasp] system, seems to acknowledge.

I wrote something about this a while back but it seems to be gone. But this surviving paragraph sums it up, more or less:

There are a number of arguably reasonable explanations for it, but for me the primary one is really quite simple: power. Human beings crave power and control. It’s hard-wired into us. Where and when we can’t establish power and control for ourselves, in the course of our daily lives, we will look to experience it vicariously. We will look for an external source via which to sublimate this particularly strong and primal desire. This is the seminal psychological reward for people who listen to shock jocks – the vicarious experience of power and control. Shock Jocks get to say most anything they want with relative impunity. They get to treat people and ideas, if not facts, with complete disregard. They get to control the narrative. They get to talk over people, to tell people to shut up, to cut them off then abuse them afterwards – with no risk of consequence and no burden of responsibility. They behave in a manner that the darker and less emotionally secure parts of many of us would like to behave, even if only in some sort of fantasy realm where consequence and responsibility don’t exist. This is all about power and the audience gets to experience that power through the vehicle of the shock jock.

To me the case is similar when analysing the popularity of a person like Pauline Hanson, or even Derryn Hinch for that matter. That this dynamic will find an even more distinct voice in our political discourse is kind of disconcerting, but at least it’s somewhere that each of us can, in theory, make our case.

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FedUpJuly 6, 2016 at 10:24 am

You are all so misinformed. None of you have any idea what this woman is about. Is it wrong to want to protect your country and people?Maybe all you people out there should take a good look around you. As far as Islam goes Pauline is spot on. This is not a religion, it’s a sect/cult filled with hatred and killing of any Christian or anyone who does not convert to Muslim. Noone know what goes on in those mosques, Islamic schools, Not even the stinking government! Maybe you should be the ones going and educating yourselves on Islam! You just may form a whole different opinion. Stop pretending all these people are the salt of the earth!
Florence nee FedupJuly 6, 2016 at 10:30 am

I suggest we all refrain from abusing Hanson, that we treat her with respect at all times, while disagreeing strongly with what she says. Play the ball, not the person.

That we use her “please explain? “
Mark NeedhamJuly 6, 2016 at 10:41 am

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/04/pauline-hanson-takes-centre-stage-again-but-this-time-we-should-listen-not-lampoon
A differing view of the Lady.
The “Racist” tag is most often mis-used, derogatory and unhelpful, to all parties in conversation.
Most times, our unassailable belief in our selves and being “Right” precludes us from good conversation.
Mark Needham
Chris HealeJuly 6, 2016 at 10:41 am

Pauline Hanson is not politically correct. It is sad that there is so many victims out there who react so badly when they hear someone with views different to themselves. I read and listen to Pauline Hanson and think good on her for having the guts to say what she thinks. I might not agree with her but I am willing to defend her right to speak freely here. History would be very different today if tribes in ancient time did not fight people entering their lands and using their resources. This was an important reaction against extinction or enslavement. I wonder if neaderthals were politically correct and therefore did not fight when strangers started appearing in their lands tens of thousands of years ago. Perhaps they lay down there spears and held their arms open wide and said welcome to our home.
helvityniJuly 6, 2016 at 10:42 am

Could Margot Kingston, please, explain to me what the so-called Western values are. I have lived and worked in Finland, Sweden, Holland, Germany and in Australia. None of those countries have exactly the same values, there’s always need for adjustments.

There’s also a lot of talk of specific Aussie values, one year you had to know about a game called cricket, when applying for a citizenship. I would have failed as I thought a cricket was an insect…

Pauline and Margot, please explain. I want to fit in with the Aussie Rules, but I’m not going to HATE anyone, dislike is far as I go….
Steve Laing - makeourvoiceheard.comJuly 6, 2016 at 10:45 am

Hanson reveals herself to be immune from logic and fact. But, as you say, her views are little different from those of a number on the LNP backbench who Turnbull fails to reprimand, and Abbott and Howard actually encouraged. Is it any surprise that the racists feel increasingly emboldened? Turnbull’s failure to act is yet another Pontius Pilate move. Leave the hard graft of sorting the problem out to those on the progressive side of politics. As is always the case.

Turnbull et al don’t care though. They are barricaded from the fear and the violence in their harbourside mansions. They are like the generals in the Great War sending the troops over the top. A few casualties amongst the troops is fair price for them to have the good life.

But back in the “Mother country” as soon as any real scrutiny is applied, those great leaders who were the cause of, and then the leaders of the Brexit fiasco have all run a mile. The same will happen with Hanson who will again reveal her true dreary awfulness, and her followers will start to fall away, leaving the residual ignorant rump. She isn’t worth hating, or even worth disliking.
Peter FJuly 6, 2016 at 11:24 am

@Fedup ” it’s a sect/cult filled with hatred and killing of any Christian or anyone who does not convert to Muslim”

How do you relate this to the fact that most of the people killed by ISIS are Muslim? Muslim leaders have stated in the past 24 hours that , for ISIS, Terrorism is their religion, not Muslim.
LjJuly 6, 2016 at 11:47 am

I agree with Margot on this point of Pauline Hanson.
“Kingston explained that the western values to which she refers are respect for the rule of law, freedom of speech, women’s, gays’ rights.”
Pauline’s Ban On Muslims comes I think from the above line., Let me explain.
We, as a western civilisation have come so far to erode inequality in many respects and area’s. Women’s Rights, Equal Rights ( Woman &
Man ) Sexual, physical, and verbal violence and intimidation, Gay rights and equality such as homophobia, Same sex marriage, Discrimination, Child abuse both physical, mental and sexual, Giving women a voice to stand up for themselves etc.

Now on those above point’s alone let me post some links here that will explain things better.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-05-17/muslim-group-wants-sharia-law-in-australia/2717096
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/community-under-siege/sharia-law-used-to-settle-divorces-in-muslim-community/news-story/c138bc650967b9f51d1bd62a31d64f18
https://aifs.gov.au/publications/family-matters/issue-84/legal-recognition-sharia-law
https://www.facebook.com/BH.Australia/
https://www.facebook.com/BH.Australia/photos

This would be the main focus of Pauline Hansons Ban’s On Muslims.
Why?? ( and these are just assumptions.)
Under sharia law it is permissable for a man to take and marry an 8yr old child as his bride, have genital mutilation performed on her
which no Australian doctor will perform, so it is done in the community, often using barbaric system of just a razor blade,. Then at age
9 he may consumate the marriage with sexual intercourse ( Sexual abuse against children is illegal in western culture ) but not islamic
culture nor under Sharia law.
A women is only worth half as much as a man according to both islamic culture and sharia law.
If a women is raped under sharia law, she must obtain the witness of 7 males, to charge and prosecute the offender, if the offender is found guilty, so is the women that got raped, often the women is either stoned to death, whipped, or killed in an honor killing, just being raped. How do those values work with western civillisation???

Halal.
Animals are not to be stunned and must have their throats slit whilst still alive under sharia and islamic cultures.
Australian LAw’s and practices states that an animal must be stunned prior to being killed to lessen the pain and sufference of the animal
prior to butchering.
Again, 2 different values 2 different views 2 different cultures.
Under sharia law a muslim man/male may have upto 3 wives, only allah is permitted more, but a women may only have 1 husband.

If a women seeks a divorce from her husband she only gets a small amt of the estate compared to western culture where it is based on
many factors.
If a muslim husband dies whilst married, the wife/wives only inherit half of the value if it were a male to inherit the estate of the husband because women are treated lesser equal to that of males.

The whole point of Pauline Hansons Ban on muslims is that their culture, practices, beliefs and religion is bad for western culture as it goes against everything this country alone has worked hard to achieve and enforce. If the religion and islamic culture were to adapt
to more principled ways of living and more modern times or remove or make Haram ( Bad/Not allowed/wrong )certain aspects of their culture and such then yes I would disagree with Pauline Hanson on Banning Muslim’s, But as it stands, I agree with her on that point alone regarding muslims being banned.

Simply looking up the Quran/Koran/ or whatever they call it will let you see and judge the differences between western
cultures and Muslims cultures and beliefs and practices, yet, she is the only politician willing to stand up and speak up
against them.

As one other respsondent has said, if they want to migrate or seek asylum, let it be in other muslim countries, not western
secualr cultures, that way they dont have to fight, argue, force, rape or try to dictate their way of life on non muslims and they get the same cultures and such in other muslim countries.
kerriJuly 6, 2016 at 11:54 am

I think more could be achieved by attacking the accuracy and ignorance of Hanson’s stance!
She claims she does not believe in Halal Certification as if it were the tooth fairy or Father Christmas?
It has emerged she was paid to appear on Sunrise! The media love her almost as much as she loves them and many who follow her are as ignorant of facts as she is! Better to make her a non issue than to inflame and reinforce the reactive ignorance of her voter base!
Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 12:06 pm

Lj

Muslims must obey the laws of the country they live in. You post is irrelevant to Australia.

I could just as easily talk about Egyptian Coptic Christians who practice genital mutilation. I could talk about the Royal families of Europe marrying little children. I could talk about the rape of children by priests. Are you against kosher food as well? I am against slaughter without stunning but, according to the RSPCA, the vast majority of halal slaughter in Australia (including at export abattoirs) complies with this standard, that is, all animals are stunned prior to slaughter. The only difference is that a reversible stunning method is used, while conventional humane slaughter may use an irreversible stunning method.

Instead of worrying about what happens in entirely different cultures, could you explain how life in Australia has been in any way changed or threatened.
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:09 pm

” Is it wrong to want to protect your country and people?”

No FedUp, it isn’t. We want to protect our country and people from Pauline Hanson and her idiot supporters.
FreethinkerJuly 6, 2016 at 12:10 pm

What Pauline Hanson is achieving is giving the “courage” to those that share similar ideas to start talking in the open about their views on race, religion and the so called “values”
Do not think that only Hanson and those that voted for her are plain racists, that are worried that Australia is going to loose their culture, way of life because the Asians, Muslims or any other race or culture.
There are hundred of thousands more that have very close views to Hanson, to Brandis and Dutton, They do not identifying with her on the open because they are “more educated”
Think about those that support the detention camps where crime and atrocities are committed daily., they are the same, they are using excuses to commit crime “to save other life”
It is sad but it is a reality, it a human behavior showed in the history for thousand of years.
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:11 pm

Chris Heale, free speech was never intended to apply to racial vilification, slander and lies.
jimhazJuly 6, 2016 at 12:13 pm

[She claims she does not believe in Halal Certification as if it were the tooth fairy or Father Christmas?]

But it is the same. It is a fantasy.

I thought LJ’s post was on the mark.
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:16 pm

LJ, Pauline Hanson believes that women invent claims of domestic violence because their husbands don’t like the dress they are wearing. Pauline Hanson is treating women like second rate citizens. As a victim of domestic violence that had nothing to do with my clothing and everything to do with a violent man’s alcoholism and delusion, Pauline Hanson can get stuffed.
Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 12:25 pm

If any of you know of a child who has been married in Australia then contact the police….or are you just repeating crap?
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 12:34 pm

I don’t think any of them know anyone in Australia with three wives either. Mormons can have more than that, and last time I checked theirs was a Christian religion, but polygamy is not permitted in Australia.
Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 12:59 pm

I would also like to question this idea that western values embrace women’s and gay rights.

“As far as I can see in the New Testament in the writings of the apostle Paul, homosexuality is listed as sin. So what I think doesn’t really matter, its what the Bible says that I have to live by.“ – Brian Houston, leader of Scott Morrison’s Hillsong Church.

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:11-15

Sydney’s Archbishop George Pell told pilgrims at World Youth Day in Toronto “abortion is a worse moral scandal than priests sexually abusing young people”.
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 1:19 pm

Brian Houston’s father Frank Houston was a self-confessed kiddy fiddler. His kiddy fiddling victims included males. Frank was a senior pastor within the Assemblies of God. Brian and other members of the AOG (that’s a fundamentalist *Christian* church, btw) knew this but none of them ever reported it to the police. Brian Houston, like every other Christian, cherry picks the bible verses he chooses to live by. We don’t need lessons in morality from Brian Houston.
LjJuly 6, 2016 at 1:43 pm

Athena, you missed my point on that part I think.
Pauline may think that but I do not and will not. I used that point to make a different view point in the differences of being treated differently in cultures.
I believe in women’s rights, liberities, freedom and am against domestic violence in all forms.
I do not condone Pauline’s views on domestic violence and abhor that it happens, We ( Australia ) have come along way to combat this
and we still have along way to go before we can fully eradicate it.
Kaylee….
Homosexuality was never used in the bible till 1942, Homosexuality or any general description there of was never put into the bible till 1942. prior to then in the bible, homosexuality had never existed, it is man created.
The only true laws if you want to talk about biblical authenticity is
The 10 commandments of god, the rest is man created, wrote,versed, theorised and discussed and penned.
Athena.
I agree she can get stuffed as far as domestic violence is concerned, you have my heart there.
but if I may also add, SOME ( very small amount ) domestic violence claims have been found to be false by courts and such.
I know domestic violence i have lived it and survived it,but i know others that have used it to make false claims in the courts and to police.
and that lead to a horrid time for all parties involved.
Kaylee.
If muslims must obey the law of the land they live??as you say/
Then prey tell me how a 12yr old can be pregnant and her husband who is 32 get married in Australia, ( Covered by chanell 7 Qld News.
the man was found guilty of child abuse and is now currently serving a prison sentence.

My point about Paulines Ban On Muslims as I am assumming would be because of those reasoning above I assume???
i do not know, I will never know. they are just purely guess work.
SGBJuly 6, 2016 at 1:56 pm

I have come to the conclusion that some of the leaders and those zealots of the Islamic religion have much in common with those Christian Inquisitors and zealots, that is that they are prepared to use violence to proselytise and force their beliefs onto others.

Any person prepared to use religion as an excuse for violence should not be welcome as a refugee or an immigrant.

Then lets look at racism.
It is clear, from the support given to overt racists, that Australia, has a significant portion of the population, as racists.
Many of those racists are self confessed Christians, who use their religious belief to assert their racist mantra.

These people have no place in our instruments of governance!
And neither do religious zealots.

We are a secular country where religions are accepted as a right for an individual to pursue, therefore religious convictions or pursuits have no place and certainly no authority in our governance as a nation.

As such any individual who expresses a religious view of any kind in their position of government should automatically be removed from office.
Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 2:32 pm

because of those reasoning above

I think so too. ?

who expresses a religious view of any kind in their position of government should automatically be removed from office.

MPs call on God everyday during ‘prayers’. So they all must go? ?

Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to vouchsafe Thy special blessing upon this Parliament, and that Thou wouldst be pleased to direct and prosper the work of Thy servants to the advancement of Thy glory, and to the true welfare of the people of Australia.

Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Keitha GranvilleJuly 6, 2016 at 3:04 pm

Goodness, there is so much vitriol here on many sides against religion – any religion.

What happened to a fair go for anyone who wants to call Australia home ?Isn’t that why most of our migrants are here – because we have a free and fair society, a democracy where everyone’s voice can be heard. Pauline has a view, obviously many support her. The sensible move is to encourage dialogue with her, and them. Only by talking can we educate and resolve issues. That’s what parliament is for.
I am not going to enter into the unholy mess that religions have foisted on the world. Christian, Muslims, Jews – anyone – have perpetrated some horrors on the world through the ages. We can’t fix any of that now, we can’t change it. We CAN stop doing it.

Live and let live, love your neighbour as yourself, practise random acts of kindness. If we all could live by those mantras we’d have a happy and diverse country.
ZathrasJuly 6, 2016 at 3:05 pm

Hanson is yet another who cannot and seems unwilling to discriminate between religion and culture.

Just to name a couple, the biggest Muslim countries in the world are Indonesia, Pakistan and India. At least two of these discriminated so harshly against women they made one President and the incidence of female genital mutilation (a non-religious but cultural practice) is most predominant in Christian African countries.

Her anti-Halal stance is very similar to the anti-Kosher one promoted by Wally Butterworth during the sixties via the American Voters and Buyers League (which was a recruiting shop-front for the KKK).

Her running mate – Malcolm Roberts – is a rabid conspiracist who believes the CSIRO is a tool of international bankers, who over the past century have also orchestrated every major financial boom and bust since 1913 and the UN was created at the urging of those international bankers, who are using it as a vehicle to usher in a New World Order.
He also believes every Australian Prime Minister of the post-War period – except John Howard – was a Fabian-socialist-Manchurian candidate.

In the end Hanson’s about creating division and hatred for personal gain, not to make this country a better place. She never talks about inclusiveness or harmony, just divisive rhetoric about “us and them”.

There are still many fear of Muslims, do not understand their culture, are not ready to accept them as Australians and underneath that is fear and that fear equals votes.
Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 3:10 pm

Lj,

“the man was found guilty of child abuse and is now currently serving a prison sentence.”

Can’t you see that you just made my point?

Could I also point out that the bible is man made?

From Islam today….

“Muslims living in non-Muslim countries have to comply with laws and regulations of the country they have been entrusted though valid visas to enter. At the same time, they have to avoid whatever contradicts Islamic teachings. In case they are obliged by law to uphold something contrary to Islamic teachings, they have to adhere to the minimum that the law requires of them.

One of the best approaches for a Muslim living in these countries is patience. As long as he agrees to live in a non-Muslim country, he is never to rebel against the inhabitants of his choice of residence, even if it seems to hard for him to endure.”

http://en.islamtoday.net/node/604
Mr WizardJuly 6, 2016 at 3:18 pm

You have got to give it to Pauline for her tenacity. I said for a long long time we shut her out the debate. Instead of airing some of her issues. Now she’s BACK. Shes’s angry and we still have some of those issues. So let’s be nice; educate her and her followers when we can. It’s going to be hard work but lets try. Education is about paying it forward without ridicule.
jimhazJuly 6, 2016 at 3:31 pm

So we just add to all the dickhead Christian fundies already here, it seems.

Everything is a numbers game and what is keeping Islamic fundies quiet here is the low Muslim percentage of the population – much as the far Christian right has done to the LNP. We can afford to oversight the radicals – there just aren’t very many and get stopped in their tracks. Once the muslim population triples, as it would in very fast time under this sites severed artery spraying bleeding hearts, then l’m sure things will change on both sides. Muslims will seek to make legal more religious insanities, there will be more terrorism until the middle east is sorted out…and the right wingers will react accordingly, they’ll go harder in offense.
Kaye LeeJuly 6, 2016 at 4:35 pm

jimhaz,

We are a secular country supposedly. If someone wanted to live the life of a fundamentalist Muslim, they wouldn’t choose here. For starters they would have to be very rich to be able to survive without ever taking out a loan.

Your fears are unfounded. The children of Muslim immigrants, like the children of all immigrants, fit in better than their parents. It is all about tolerance and education. Many Muslims that come here are fleeing from the violence and intolerance of fundamentalists.

I am far more worried about religions like the Brethren and the Scientologists and the charismatic religions, and I resent the way Christianity is being thrust upon us by our government.

No Muslim has ever come knocking on my door trying to convert me. No Muslim group has insisted my child must be taught their religion at school.
FreethinkerJuly 6, 2016 at 4:47 pm

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT – SECT 116

Commonwealth not to legislate in respect of religion
The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

It appears to me that Pauline is pushing for something that can be on the border of been non constitutional.
madeleinekingstonJuly 6, 2016 at 10:30 pm

Why not let this woman cut her own throat? She is a complete disgrace and will soon identify her bigotry to the entire Australian public – yet again and once again in the visible political environment; where according to all accounts she has in the past be not well tolerated; not necessarily because of her (pardon me) bigoted views; but perhaps because of her capacity to embarrass her supporters in such views to the detriment of the credibility of their own views; however those views may be expressed in more muted tones by the Political “Right” however that may be comparatively defined in the context of the comparative political positioning, at the very least; but not necessarily restricted to the major parties, losing sleep, day by day just to find out if they have viable numbers to form government in their own right.

Not even the Right of the Right in politics wants to have a bar of her. Why is that? She is embarrassment. Absolutely unique for her perceived bigotry; possibly give or take one or two of her supporters. But it is her headed figure; persona and incessant bleats that attract attention.

Hanson, For God’s Sake? Why is everyone concerned about this red-headed dish?

Surely it cannot be because of her political views? So what is it then? Some other sort of appeal?
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 10:32 pm

If she doesn’t grow a brain and keeps on flapping her trap with lies, don’t be surprised if someone cuts her throat for her.
Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 10:47 pm

As I have argued elsewhere, give Pauline plenty of rope. Indeed as much as she wants. And then even more.

She wants a Royal Commission into Islam. Let her write the Terms of Reference. Let her justify those terms of Reference in the public domain. Maybe even let her choose who should be ‘invited’ to Chair that Royal Commission? (Perhaps Dyson might be asked? Only jokin ).

(BTW, Athena I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk about ‘cutting throats’ without several ‘disclaimers’.)

Lots of ‘nutters’ about. Why there’s even some who visit this site.
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 11:03 pm

Oh yeah, if somebody commits some violent act against her it will be totally unexpected by everyone. I’m not recommending that anybody does, nor suggesting it. i just won’t be in the slightest bit surprised if it happens. I suspect risk management is a totally foreign concept to our Pauline.
Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 11:08 pm

Watch. She knows about ‘risk’ management. And how to manage same to her best advantage.

Always been the ‘drama queen’. And the punters buy it.
AthenaJuly 6, 2016 at 11:15 pm

Oh I remember that video. Is the entire video on Youtube?
Matters NotJuly 6, 2016 at 11:25 pm

Don’t know about the extent of the ‘video’.

But, like lots of pubs across Australia, Pauline always promises ‘Free beer Tomorrow’ (or its equivalent). Knowing that such a promise is everlasting, given that the ‘tomorrow never comes’. It’s always a promise for the ‘morrow.

Works a treat.
RJJuly 7, 2016 at 12:01 am

This piece of rubbish masquerading as journalism is typical of the leftist traitors who have no regard for current or future Australians. Their hatred towards Hanson simply reflects their fear that people are no longer afraid to speak out, no longer worried about being branded a racist or bigot simply for doing what these cowards are incapable of doing, standing up against a rabid and violent cult who are intent on destroying our beliefs and way of life.
madeleinekingstonJuly 7, 2016 at 3:47 am

Thank you so much AIMN. Normally I am quite timid when it comes to battling with the technical restrictions of the 21st Century. In the first place when everybody tells me I have to express my views in 140 characters, I tend to freeze; especially given that I am not given to expressing my views under such restrictions. Even when I am given 300 words; such restrictions freeze me out,

But when I hear there are one or two Independents; whether or not in the political space in the of alleged representation of the Australian voting public (and presumably also those who for one reason or another; may have faced multiple barriers in terms of exercising a vote; the specific speculative parameters of which are well beyond the scope of this article; let alone presumed word count parameters; far be from me to exceed such limits; but in any case whatever my two dollar limits may be Pauline Hanson? Don’t worry about this woman. She will undo herself. A shameful disgrace. They will pick her out for it. It is inevitable.

I mean the woman went into exile politically or a number of yours; most of us ordinary voters have lost count; not unexpected, since by all accounts most of us only retain approximately ten per cent of what we see hear or read at any one time. But and all; even if we were to make due allowance for the generally accepted principles of memory retention; and if we were, as due accountability principles would require; further investigate the parameters of such presumption; and in any case; were we to reject such presumptive parameters upon full inquiry; but in any case; may I with all respect; ask on the bass of presumptive inquiry’ (pardon me for saying) whether there may be one or two alternative reasons for challenging the usual “presumed” “heretic” perceptions of the politically motivated. But in case I am wrong in my presumptions; may at least register for the record my considerable concerns, as a voter who ticked new fewer than 40 boxes in my recent vote in the 2016 Federal Double Dissolution Election; taking days to arrive at those usual niceties that every voter should aspire to (in ideal circumstances of course).

As you would imagine, such perceived heretics as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party did not merit even one tick in the Senate or any other ballot.

Madeleine Kingston

Victoria (but Nevertheless)
AthenaJuly 7, 2016 at 5:14 am

RJ, Muslims are so intent upon destroying our beliefs and way of life that so many people like you are unaware they have been in Australia since the mid 1800s.
Kaye LeeJuly 7, 2016 at 7:07 am

“reflects their fear that people are no longer afraid to speak out, no longer worried about being branded a racist or bigot”

You are dead right there RJ. Pauline has unleashed the hounds with her ignorant dog whistling and I am horrified that so many people are willing to give her a public platform for her racism and misinformation. We have worked for years to stop discrimination in this country and along comes this woman, who is unbelievably naive and ill-informed, and tries to send us backwards,

“Soon after her election to Parliament, Hanson’s book, “Pauline Hanson — the truth : on Asian immigration, the Aboriginal question, the gun debate and the future of Australia”, was published. In it she makes claims of Aboriginal cannibalism, and in particular, that Aboriginal women ate their babies and tribes cannibalised their members. Hanson told the media that the reason for these claims of cannibalism was to “demonstrate the savagery of Aboriginal society”. David Ettridge, the One Nation party director, explained that the book’s claims were intended to correct ‘misconceptions’ about Aboriginal history. These ‘misconceptions’ were said to be relevant to modern-day Aboriginal welfare funding. He asserted that “the suggestion that we should be feeling some concern for modern day Aborigines for suffering in the past is balanced a bit by the alternative view of whether you can feel sympathy for people who eat their babies”. The book predicted that in 2050 Australia would have a lesbian president of Chinese-Indian background called Poona Li Hung who would be a cyborg. In 2004, Hanson said that the book was “written by some other people who actually put my name to it” and that while she held the copyright over The Truth, she was unaware that much of the material was being published under her name.”

As Maxine McKew pointed out, Pauline surrounds herself with “the bad boys of politics” who take advantage of her naivity.

She said she wants to change the constitutional definition of marriage, except the Constitution doesn’t mention marriage. She said she wants to ban mosques being built, except the Constitution forbids that. She said she wants to abolish the Family Law Court – she wanted to do the same thing 20 years ago.

Pauline offers no solutions, just a whole heap of ignorant ranting. She has vilified Asians, Africans, Muslims and Aborigines. There is no place for racism in this country.
Graham KJuly 7, 2016 at 11:27 am

I worry about Derryn Hinch just as much as I do about Pauline Hanson as they both want to get rid of 18C. Hinch is blind on many other issues outside his core angst. Pauline Hanson is a puppet lead by the barefaced liar and manipulator James Ashby and her nutty Climate change adviser Malcolm Roberts. There’s not too much wisdom in those 2 .
Florence nee FedupJuly 7, 2016 at 3:29 pm

You give Ashby credit he isn’t entitled to. James is only & always been a puppet whose strings are pulled by others.
Florence nee FedupJuly 7, 2016 at 3:30 pm

Has anyone noticed there are many millions more Muslims being slain & or displaced by ISIS/L.
Florence nee FedupJuly 7, 2016 at 3:33 pm

I have no hatred for Hanson, Suspect few do. Sometimes I feel a little sorry for her. it is the views she pushes, that scares the daylights out of me. The harm she causes to innocent victims.
Dan RowdenJuly 7, 2016 at 4:08 pm

It appears to me that Pauline is pushing for something that can be on the border of been non constitutional.

Her desired bans on mosques and halal certification are emphatically non-constitutional. Her policy on a referendum rather than a plebiscite on SSM is more evidence of her total ignorance of what is, and is not, constitutional. I mean, how the living hell has no-one pointed out to her that referendums are for changing the constitution and that marriage is not in any way defined or governed by that document? Or, is her policy that it should be?

Oh, crap, I’m gunna have to Google it now……damn it all to hell….

Right, so she wants a referendum to change the Constitution to define marriage, even though there is currently no provision for such a thing in the document. What’s the point of that? Maybe we should define every single thing in SECT 51 that the Constitution says the Commonwealth may make laws about.

Dammit, I don’t want to think about this shit right now. I need some wine and a good cry ….
AthenaJuly 7, 2016 at 4:09 pm

“Has anyone noticed there are many millions more Muslims being slain & or displaced by ISIS/L”

Yes. If they were Muslim they wouldn’t be killing fellow Muslims during Ramadan. They’re as representative of mainstream Islam as the Ku Klux Klan or Hitler is representative of mainstream Christianity. They want power and they’re using extreme fear to get it.
AthenaJuly 7, 2016 at 4:15 pm

Dan, I’m worried about increased violence and intolerance from Hanson’s idiot followers. That could get really ugly. I’m not the slightest bit worried about what Pauline claims she is going to achieve in parliament. She will just make herself a laughing stock there. Let’s hope she does it soon and it’s followed by another DD election.
wake up sheeple!July 7, 2016 at 4:21 pm

Bigots,racists and Islamic law experts like Lj,please stop spreading lies &misinformations about Islam and muslims.we Muslim women,are very honoured under our faith,not oppressed or helpless as the mainstream media constantly paints us and you come to the rescue and keep circulating the misconceptions.Please stop demonising and insulting us.Educate your self behind the headings. Thanks Jennifer ,Kaye & ….for breaking the circle .Please read ,How Anti-Muslim Fringe Organizations Became Mainstream:
http://college.unc.edu/2012/11/29/bailstudy/
jimhazJuly 7, 2016 at 4:41 pm

[There is no place for racism in this country]

Sure, but at the same time there is no place to categorise all people with concerns about the impacts of immigration or the acceptance of muslim refugees,as being racist.

Personally, even the very concept of racism feels to me like a bullshit concept in the manner it is used now, which include the rejection (but only rejection by white people), of certain cultural habits. Where I last worked, an Indian boss, now has a section of 70% Indian (all new) and 30% asian (been around for a while). Also a friend worked in security at Sydney Airport but was pushed out by the Indian boss who only wanted Indian employees, and now that area in being investigated for potential immigration fraud.

The desire to be amongst those most like you is intrinsic and it is NOT racism, it is preference.
Dan RowdenJuly 7, 2016 at 5:21 pm

Athena,

I tend to agree that Hanson’s hyperbolic, crass and ignorant modes of expression, along with her actual views, are ultimately self-defeating, but my problem with her is the cultural affect she creates. For me it’s not dissimilar to that produced by radio shock jocks. They may speak shit most of the time but they provide a vehicle through which listeners can experience power and influence vicariously. Hanson’s “I am a voice for the people” type of schlock is actually very affective/effective and appealing to all those plebs who really think their opinion is more valuable than society – and the [gasp] system, seems to acknowledge.

I wrote something about this a while back but it seems to be gone. But this surviving paragraph sums it up, more or less:

There are a number of arguably reasonable explanations for it, but for me the primary one is really quite simple: power. Human beings crave power and control. It’s hard-wired into us. Where and when we can’t establish power and control for ourselves, in the course of our daily lives, we will look to experience it vicariously. We will look for an external source via which to sublimate this particularly strong and primal desire. This is the seminal psychological reward for people who listen to shock jocks – the vicarious experience of power and control. Shock Jocks get to say most anything they want with relative impunity. They get to treat people and ideas, if not facts, with complete disregard. They get to control the narrative. They get to talk over people, to tell people to shut up, to cut them off then abuse them afterwards – with no risk of consequence and no burden of responsibility. They behave in a manner that the darker and less emotionally secure parts of many of us would like to behave, even if only in some sort of fantasy realm where consequence and responsibility don’t exist. This is all about power and the audience gets to experience that power through the vehicle of the shock jock.

To me the case is similar when analysing the popularity of a person like Pauline Hanson, or even Derryn Hinch for that matter. That this dynamic will find an even more distinct voice in our political discourse is kind of disconcerting, but at least it’s somewhere that each of us can, in theory, make our case.

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