❓ WHAT HAPPENED: An
Australian appeals court has unanimously upheld a 2024 ruling that One Nation party leader Senator
Pauline Hanson racially discriminated against
Mehreen Faruqi by telling her to “piss off back to
Pakistan” in a 2022 social media post, after Faruqi attacked Queen Elizabeth II and Australia’s history following the late monarch’s death. The Full Federal Court
rejected Hanson’s arguments that her remarks were
protected by free speech and that Australia’s racial discrimination law was unconstitutional on Monday.
📺 DETAIL: Faruqi, who immigrated from Pakistan in 1992 and became
Australia’s first Muslim woman elected to parliament, welcomed the decision, saying it was a victory for everyone who has been told to “go back to where you came from.” However, the dispute began after
Faruqi attacked the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II following her death, writing, “Condolences to those who knew the Queen. I cannot mourn the leader of a
racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples. We are reminded of the urgency of Treaty with First Nations, justice &
reparations for British colonies & becoming a republic.” This prompted Hanson to respond, “
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.” The appeals court agreed with an earlier ruling that the post was reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate, and intimidate Faruqi, as well as
Muslim Australians and migrants, describing the comment as a variant of the slogan “go back to where you came from.” The judges also found Hanson failed to establish that her remarks qualified as fair comment on a matter of public interest, namely the Queen’s passing and people’s reaction to it. Hanson said she was disappointed with the ruling, arguing
Australians are increasingly prevented from expressing their views, and indicated she is considering an appeal to the High Court of Australia.
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