Daily Times

Pauline Hanson’s recent interview on a popular TV show and her inflammatory YouTube message was filled with rhetoric against Australian Muslims and the global religion of Islam. Her message is not only damaging but also unrepresentative of Australian values. Australia is a nation that prides itself on multiculturalism and mutual respect. The vast majority of Australians believe in a society where every citizen is valued, regardless of race, religion, or background.

Australians have earned respect globally for their acceptance of diversity. Our multiculturalism is celebrated and seen as a defining characteristic of our nation. However, Pauline Hanson’s political career, rooted in hatred and ignorance, stands in stark contrast to these values. Her attacks on Islam and her association of the religion with terrorism show a fundamental misunderstanding of the faith. Islam, like any major religion, advocates for peace. Any individual involved in terrorism does not represent the teachings of Islam, regardless of their claims.

It is difficult to comprehend why Hanson chooses to repeatedly target people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds. Her actions suggest a deep lack of education about the world’s religions and cultures. Linking any faith or ethnicity to current geopolitical issues is both unfair and uninformed. Australians, on the other hand, have consistently spoken out against injustice and violence around the world. The rallies and protests for the human rights of Palestinians held by Australians of all backgrounds reflect the openness and compassion of the majority.

Australians have earned respect globally for their acceptance of diversity.

Pauline Hanson seems intent on dividing Australia along lines of religion, race, and ethnicity. She promotes a version of white supremacy that has long been rejected by most Australians, including many white Australians. Her efforts to drag Australia back to the days of the discriminatory White Australia Policy-a time when non-European migration was banned-are both regressive and out of touch with the realities of modern Australia.

To understand Hanson’s divisive nature, one must look at her personal history. Some argue that a politician’s personal life should not be scrutinized. However, I believe that a leader’s personal life often reflects their public behaviour and attitudes. Hanson’s tumultuous personal life-her lack of formal education and her history of failed marriages-might offer some insight into her pessimistic, hate-driven worldview.

According to available sources, Paulin Hanson was born in 1954, she left school at the age of 15, possibly not even completing her higher secondary education. Her first marriage, at an early age to Walter Zagorski, ended in separation when she was pregnant with their second child. In 1978, she met Mark Hanson, whom she later married, but this marriage also ended in divorce. During this time, Hanson made derogatory remarks about indigenous people, reflecting a deep-seated prejudice. Such attitudes appear to have permeated both her personal and political life, as shown by her repeated attacks on minorities.

In August 2003, Hanson and her One Nation party colleague David Ettridge were convicted of electoral fraud, which led to her serving time in prison. Her history of deceit and criminal behaviour only adds to the reasons Australians should be wary of her divisive rhetoric.

In 2010, Hanson announced her intention to leave Australia and move to Britain-perhaps the land of her ancestors. Although she ultimately did not leave, her announcement highlights the contradictions in her stance. She could not reconcile her multicultural background with the realities of the diverse, modern Australia she claims to represent.

Hanson’s animosity is not reserved solely for Muslims or Asians; she has also targeted Indigenous Australians. She denies the existence of racism against them and claims they are a privileged group. This attitude reflects her ignorance of the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians and the ongoing efforts to rectify centuries of injustice.

Australia’s global reputation has improved dramatically since the abolition of the White Australia Policy in 1973. By opening its doors to non-European immigrants, Australia has become a thriving, multicultural nation. Today, over half a million Muslims call Australia home. These Muslims come from diverse ethnic backgrounds, just like the rest of the Australian population. Islam is the third-largest and fastest-growing religion in Australia. The majority of Australians have no problem living alongside Muslims, and in fact, communities often come together to celebrate each other’s holidays and traditions. Muslims and non-Muslims alike participate in events such as Christmas, Eid, the Easter Show, and Ramadan iftar dinners.

If anyone has a problem with this harmonious coexistence, it is Pauline Hanson, with her misguided campaign to divide Australians. The majority of Australian Muslims have proven to be constructive members of society, committed to building a unified and harmonious Australia. Unlike Hanson, Australian Muslims approach challenges with wisdom and dignity, refusing to condemn Australian society even when faced with international prejudice against Muslims.

Australian Muslims, like all Australians, bring their own cultures, traditions, and political ideas to this multicultural society. This is not unique to the Muslim community-it is a feature of any immigrant group. Representatives of such communities must be open-minded and diplomatic, qualities Hanson has yet to demonstrate.

Islam teaches respect for all faiths and cultures, and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) strongly denounced racism. Hanson, however, seems unwilling to respect the lifestyle and needs of Muslims, particularly their requirement for halal food and services. Yet her disdain for halal products betrays her ignorance: the halal industry is a key contributor to Australia’s economy, with the country being one of the largest meat suppliers to Muslim-majority nations. Hanson’s campaign against halal is essentially a campaign against Australian farmers and exporters.

Hanson’s politics are based on fear, ignorance, and a refusal to embrace the diversity that makes Australia strong. In the face of her divisive agenda, Australians must continue to champion the values of inclusion, respect, and unity. Hanson, and others like her, would do well to take lessons in multiculturalism and tolerance. Only then can she hope to survive politically in a modern, inclusive Australia.

The writer is a Sydney-based journalist, analyst, writer and author. Email: shassan@tribune-intl.com.