Greens deputy leader Senator Mehreen Faruqi has launched legal action against One Nation leader Pauline Hanson for tweeting that she should pack her bags “and piss off back to Pakistan”.
Faruqi said she had commenced legal proceedings in the federal court under the Racial Discrimination Act.
“I’ve taken on bullies my whole life. I believe that if you have power to make positive change, you should use it for the benefit of the community,” Faruqi said in a statement on social media.
“I’m drawing a line in the sand. Enough is enough. Senator Hanson cannot keep insulting and humiliating us without any serious consequences.”
Faruqi’s lawyers have asked for Hanson to make a $150,000 donation to a not-for-profit organisation of Faruqi’s choice, and that she delete her original tweet and pin a new tweet to her profile for three months acknowledging she has committed “unlawful offensive behaviour”.
The legal proceedings come after Faruqi lodged a complaint about the tweet to the Australian Human Rights Commission last year. Hanson had refused to participate in the process.
Faruqi also attempted to address the tweet in the Senate through a censure motion, however it was amended by the government and opposition to instead condemn all forms of racism.
What was the original tweet about?
Hanson’s original tweet to Faruqi was published in September last year following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Faruqi had tweeted that she could not mourn the leader “of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised people”.
“We are reminded of the urgency of Treaty with First Nations, justice & reparations for British colonies & becoming a republic,” she wrote.
Hanson replied to the tweet, writing: “Your attitude appalls and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country. You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan. -PH”
At the time, Faruqi said she was subject to serious trolling and abuse online.
“In the aftermath of Hanson’s tweet responding to my criticism of the British Monarchy, I received hundreds of abusive calls, emails, tweets, and comments, which said things like “people will piss on your grave”, “I will cheer when you die,” “all you pricks are an enemy of our country,” and, predictably, dozens of variations of “f–k off back to where you came from”,” Faruqi said.
“Of course there’s going to be disagreement about the Queen’s legacy in the wake of her passing. Conflict will always be a part of political debate on such important issues.
“But there’s never an excuse for attacking someone for who they are. We must not confuse discrimination with debate.”