Senator Pauline Hanson has been dubbed a “racist” after she caused a stir in parliament by walking out during the ceremony acknowledging the traditional owners of the land in the Canberra area.
Yesterday, as part of the rituals that mark the beginning of a new session of the 47th Parliament, Senate President Sue Lines recited the Lord’s prayer.
She was suddenly cut off by Pauline Hanson, when she was paying her respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the traditional owners of the land in the Canberra region.
Near the end of Ms. Lines’s remarks, Senator Hanson could be heard interrupting over the top of Ms. Lines’s voice as the other senators rose to their feet to pay their respects.
She raised her voice and emphatically stated,”No I won’t and never will.”
An Indigenous Greens senator by the name of Lidia Thorpe criticised Senator Hanson’s behaviour on social media, accusing her of being racist and bigoted.
Day two of the 47th Parliament and racism has reared its ugly head. Pauline Hanson disrespectfully stormed out of the acknowledgement of Country in the Senate, refusing to acknowledge “those people.” You want to make parliament safe? Get rid of racism.
— Senator Lidia Thorpe (@SenatorThorpe) July 26, 2022
“Day two of the 47th parliament and racism has reared its ugly head,” she wrote on Twitter moments after the incident.
“Pauline Hanson disrespectfully stormed out of the Acknowledgment of Country in the Senate, refusing to acknowledge ‘those people’.
“You want to make parliament safe? Get rid of racism.”
She also referred to the Senator as a “racist” and a “ignorant” in a post that she made on social media.