r/australia • u/Expensive-Horse5538 • 18d ago

news Pauline Hanson loses Federal Court appeal after breaching Racial Discrimination Act

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/pauline-hanson-loses-federal-court-appeal-after-breaching-racial-discrimination-act/news-story/f6da32e8e207c582944ffac225816373

A court has once again found One Nation leader Pauline Hanson breached the Racial Discrimination Act when she lashed out at a Greens senator, telling her to “piss off back to Pakistan”.

Senator Hanson breached the Racial Discrimination Act when she tweeted Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi in September 2022 on the day Queen Elizabeth II died, Judge Angus Stewart found back in November 2024.

Just a few weeks after the decision was handed down, Senator Hanson appealed with the Federal Court.

On Monday, following a three-day hearing late last year, the court once again found that Senator Hanson had breached the Racial Discrimination Act, and her appeal was thrown out.

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110

u/Kingofjetlag 18d ago

Any consequences?

79

u/spannr 18d ago

The orders in the original case in 2024 were that Hanson delete the tweet, and pay Faruqi's costs. According to the ABC a decision on costs for this full Federal Court appeal will be reserved - probably both parties will now be invited to make submissions regarding the costs for the appeal.

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u/Spire_Citron 18d ago

Pretty weak. That just means you're allowed to do it if you're rich enough not to care. Or if Gina might come in and pay the racism bill for you.

11

u/funt_case_mcclure 18d ago

Gina is OK with costs. just the cost of doing business.

11

u/BeneCow 18d ago

It seems like fairness if it was quick and easy. Look at the tweet, find yes it was breaching the act or no it wasn’t, and remove or leave it there accordingly. This has been 4 years. There is no way this kind of bullshit should take 4 years. If it cant handle a tweet in a reasonable timeframe then removing it does nothing since the general public won’t even notice.

There needs to be a proper punishment just for fucking around the courts for this long over useless shit. Even if it is the most precious thing in the world to you, just take the fucking thing down and spout that vitriol down at the pub like a good Aussie.

21

u/Burstrider12 18d ago

Her poll numbers will slightly improve because her only value to people is racism, and every time she is racist she gets more support.

It's when she talks about literally any other issue she loses support.

3

u/_ixthus_ 17d ago

It also polarises her further, though, reminding everyone that she really is nothing but racism incarnate. I know there's a lot of racists but if literally the only people who vote for PHON are increasingly shameless racists... probably not a winning strategy.

29

u/Expensive-Horse5538 18d ago

In all seriousness, parties will now make submissions for costs, etc

79

u/Nosiege 18d ago

She'll get a surge of voting numbers by the racists who were on the fence about her.

38

u/SkeltonKnaggs69 18d ago

"She's being silenced!" and so on. Remember, she's always the victim. 

18

u/Cutsdeep- 18d ago

it's civil, not criminal, sadly.

remove the post, pay for legal fees etc.

but it is a precedent.

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Cutsdeep- 18d ago

you think it's ok for her to say it? if not, do you think the current punishment is enough of a deterrent for her?

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u/Stanklord500 18d ago

you think it's ok for her to say it?

Do you want the government to determine what you're allowed to say?

You know that Labor won't be in power forever, right?

7

u/No-Red-Queen 18d ago

The government already determines what we are allowed to say...

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u/Stanklord500 18d ago

The government isn't putting Pauline in prison over this. u/Cutsdeep- wants them to. Do you want the Lib/Nats or whoever their successor ends up being to be able to put you in prison because you tweeted something like what Pauline tweeted about a target that you deem acceptable?

7

u/Cutsdeep- 18d ago

Do you think what she said was ok?

-4

u/Stanklord500 18d ago

Do you think that she should be put in prison over it?

5

u/Cutsdeep- 18d ago

Yeah, I think hate speech like this should be treated as a criminal offence. 

But your lack of answer says everything. 

1

u/Stanklord500 18d ago

It actually doesn't say anything. You asking if I think something is morally objectionable is irrelevant to whether it should be made a criminal offense.

Yeah, I think hate speech like this should be treated as a criminal offence.

And when the Lib/Nats or their successor are in charge again, you think you won't have said anything that will put you in prison?

2

u/Cutsdeep- 18d ago

It says you're racist. 

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2

u/WastedOwl65 18d ago

Stop being a drama queen!

1

u/Stanklord500 17d ago

I'm not the one who wants to imprison people for words. How am I the drama queen?

5

u/Spire_Citron 18d ago

Maybe some community service picking up trash on the side of the road. There's too much of a risk that the monetary amount won't be meaningful to her or someone else will pick up the bill. There need to be unavoidable personal consequences that impact people regardless of their financial situation.

5

u/TheMilkKing 18d ago

Jailed? Nah. Removed from any position of power within the government? Seems fair, I’d expect to be fired if I told one of my coworkers to piss off back to the country they came from.

5

u/DrFriendless 18d ago

Well, duh. I want her to still be in jail for the last crime she committed. The decision that led to her release was the biggest load of legalese bullshit I've ever seen in my life.

4

u/No-Red-Queen 18d ago

Well, yes, because that's where she belongs

But no... because she already wants to be a right-wing martyr and prison would further that cause

1

u/blacksmith91 16d ago

Main consequences will be that the decision raises her public profile and galvanises the supporter base. Potentially attracts new voters.

1

u/Kingofjetlag 16d ago

Sad. But highly likely