One Nation leader Pauline Hanson posted hateful tweet against Greens senator over her decades-long tendency to make similarly racist remarks, expects Federal Court judge to be briefed .
A five-day hate speech trial is set to begin in Federal Court on Monday when Greens deputy federal leader Mehreen Faruqi accuses Senator Hanson of racial discrimination in a September 2022 tweet.
At the time, Senator Hanson wrote that Senator Faruqi should “pack his bags and go back to Pakistan.”
This tweet follows comments from Senator Green following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Senator Faruqi wrote that she could not mourn the passing of the leader of a “racist empire built on the lives, lands and wealth stolen from colonized peoples.”
Senator Mehreen Faruqi to accuse Senator Pauline Hanson of racial discrimination
In the lawsuit, the One Nation leader is accused of engaging in illegal offensive behavior of racial discrimination because of the tweet.
Senator Faruqi is seeking $150,000 in damages.
In response, Senator Hanson denied that the social media post was sent because of anyone’s race, color, national or ethnic origin.
In March, Justice Angus Stewart rejected an attempt to eliminate a wide range of evidence offered by the Greens’ deputy leader for the trial.
This included expert reports on racism and the phrase “go back where you came from,” as well as evidence purporting to show a decades-long pattern of Senator Hanson making racist remarks.
“(If) he tends to make public statements because of the race, color or national or ethnic origin of a person or group of people or to engage in comments consistent with white supremacist views, it is more likely that she posted the tweet in question because of “the stated reason,” Judge Stewart previously wrote.
Both senators are expected to take the witness stand to testify.
Senator Hanson wrote that Senator Faruqi should “pack his bags and return to Pakistan.”
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