Australian Court Rejects Pauline Hanson’s Appeal in Racial Discrimination Case
An Australian court has dismissed an appeal by right-wing politician Pauline Hanson seeking to overturn a ruling that found her guilty of racial discrimination against Muslim Senator Mehreen Faruqi.
The Full Federal Court of Australia on Monday upheld the 2024 judgment, which found Hanson had breached racial discrimination laws after telling Faruqi to “pack your bags and go back to Pakistan” in a social media post.
The court ruled that Hanson’s comment was unlawful and did not qualify for protection under free speech provisions. It described the post as containing an anti-Muslim and Islamophobic message linked to the racist slogan of telling people to “go back to where you came from.”
Faruqi welcomed the decision, saying the ruling represented a victory for people who have faced racist remarks and discrimination. She maintained that hate speech should not be considered free speech.
Hanson, the leader of the One Nation party, said she and her legal team would review the judgment and pursue a further appeal at Australia’s High Court. She argued that public debate in the country had been restricted by laws preventing people from expressing personal views.
The case stems from a 2022 social media exchange following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, when Faruqi criticised the monarchy’s colonial history before Hanson responded with the disputed remark.
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