Pauline Hanson loses appeal over ‘go back to Pakistan’ ruling in Australia
Australia’s Federal Court upheld a racial vilification finding against the far-right senator, rejecting her appeal over comments directed at Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi.
Pauline Hanson leaves court after judges dismissed her appeal in the racial vilification case.
CANBERRA: Pauline Hanson failed to overturn a court ruling on Monday after Australia’s Federal Court dismissed her appeal against a racial vilification finding linked to comments she made about Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi.
The court upheld an earlier judgment that Hanson’s remarks telling the Pakistan-born senator to “go back to Pakistan” breached Australia’s racial discrimination laws.
Appeal dismissed by Federal Court
The case stemmed from a social media exchange in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi said she could not mourn the monarch, describing her as the leader of “a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised people.”
Hanson responded by telling Faruqi that if she was unhappy in Australia, she should “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan.”
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Court upholds racial discrimination ruling
In 2024, the Federal Court ruled that Hanson’s comments amounted to a strong form of racism.
The court found the post was reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate and intimidate Faruqi, as well as Muslim Australians and migrants from diverse backgrounds.
As a result, the court concluded that the comments breached Australia’s racial discrimination laws.
Hanson defends her remarks
Hanson appealed the decision, arguing that her comments did not violate the law. She also challenged the constitutional validity of the legislation.
However, the Federal Court rejected both arguments and dismissed the appeal.
Following the ruling, Hanson said she had reacted strongly because she believed Faruqi had shown disrespect toward the late Queen Elizabeth II.
She said she simply wanted to condemn those remarks.
One Nation remains politically influential
Pauline Hanson leads the far-right One Nation party, which has gained support in recent opinion polls.
She has campaigned for stricter immigration policies, the deportation of undocumented migrants and broader protections for free speech.
Hanson has also proposed major reductions in government spending, drawing comparisons with efficiency measures introduced in the United States, and has called for Australia to review its membership in several international organisations.
