Key PointsSenator Mehreen Faruqi is suing One Public chief Pauline Hanson over alleged racist discrimination.By the use of social media, Hanson informed Faruqi to “pack (her) bags and piss off back to Pakistan”.This adopted Faruqi posting what proved to be a arguable tweet following the demise of the Queen.
Attorneys for Senator Pauline Hanson have mentioned she informed federal Vegetables deputy chief Senator Mehreen Faruqi to walk again to Pakistan according to a provocative, offensive tweet concerning the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.
Faruqi is suing the One Public chief within the Federal Court docket over alleged racist discrimination via a September 2022 tweet.
On the month, that she was once appalled and disgusted with Faruqi’s feedback, telling her to “pack (her) bags and piss off back to Pakistan”.
In a put up following the Queen’s demise, Faruqi wrote she may no longer mourn the passing of the chief of a “racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples”.
Because the trial started on Monday, Faruqi’s barrister Saul Holt KC mentioned the tweet was once centered against his shopper as a Muslim lady of color who had migrated to Australia.
The “demeaning and insulting” language led to population like Faruqi and others to really feel a field of mental results together with concern, anxiousness and rigidity, Holt mentioned.
The tweet needed to be understood within the wider context of racism which was once “pernicious and deeply harmful” in addition to the One Public chief’s tendency to mention racist issues, he informed Justice Angus Stewart.
In a sworn statement, Faruqi mentioned she felt like she was once no longer approved in Australia and was frightened of the detest and racism that Hanson’s tweet would inspire.
“A tweet of this kind in the Twittersphere, the dog whistle doesn’t just stand on its own,” Holt mentioned.
It’s no longer the primary society row Senator Pauline Hanson has had together with her colleagues in parliament. The One Public chief has additionally had society disagreements with participants of her personal celebration now and then. Supply: AAP / Lukas Coch
Faruqi is looking for court docket orders that the donate $150,000 to a treasure of the Vegetables senator’s selection.
Hanson’s barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC referred to as the lawsuit “unmeritorious”, arguing her shopper had answered to an offensive tweet by means of the Vegetables senator which was once designed to impress a reaction.
Faruqi was once a hypocrite posting concerning the Queen on this method as she had prior to now sworn an assurance of allegiance to the previous monarch when she was an Australian senator, the court docket heard.
For 5 hours later the Vegetables senator had posted the tweet, she skilled a barrage of racist feedback prior to Hanson even answered, Chrysanthou argued.
The One Public chief’s eventual tweet didn’t goal a bunch of 1 specific race, color or ethnic starting place, the court docket heard.
“The wording used by my client … is directed to Senator Faruqi and Senator Faruqi alone,” Chrysanthou mentioned.
The tweet was once an even remark according to Hanson’s fair opinion and didn’t fall foul of the Racial Discrimination Operate, the court docket was once informed.
Chrysanthou argued the precise provisions within the occupation depended on by means of Faruqi will have to be struck out as they got here up in opposition to the implied proper of political verbal exchange discovered within the Australian charter.
“These provisions impose a substantial and significant burden on political communication in this country in circumstances where immigration is plainly a political issue of concern to many Australians,” she mentioned.
Representing the Commonwealth attorney-general, Craig Lenehan SC unwelcome those arguments, announcing any burden was once “very small”.
The trial continues with Faruqi prepared to step into the observer field.
