there’s something about pauline
Pauline Hanson is back! (in the news…)
This time she is running as an Independent in the NSW state election (Australia). Whether you agree or disagree with Hanson, no one can deny her apparent ability to rise from (political) death occasionally (even if she is shot down almost immediately).
Some of the more memorable events in Hanson’s political career include:
1. her co-founding of possibly Australia’s most controversial Party, One Nation, which was widely labelled as harbouring racist policies (1997),
2. one of the most memorable maiden speeches in Parliament , which was also widely labelled as racist (1996),
3. her recording a video for her supporters in the event of her assassination (1997),
4. her being convicted of electoral fraud (2003, though it was soon overturned).
How is it then that such a controversial figure in politics, whose reappearance in public life has spawned even more accusations of racism, can still capture the imagination of such a decent percentage of the population?*
Perhaps it is because Hanson is honest. Many people are disillusioned with the big Parties because of the politics of politics. There are definitely no frills around Hanson – she is upfront and inarticulate.
But maybe that is what people actually want…
Maybe, putting aside her views which disgust the majority of the Australian population, people are looking for politicians like Pauline Hanson who are willing to call things the way they see them, in an honest and straightforward way.
There’s something about Pauline… and it’s not her views.
MCA
* To be fair, Hanson won a federal seat quite comfortably in the seat of Oxley, Queensland, all the way back in 1996. One Nation managed to gain 22% of the vote in the 1998 Queensland state election, but have never subsequently performed anywhere near that well. Hanson will almost certainly not gain a seat in NSW, though her reemergence still garners a fair amount of support considering her views.Posted on March 9, 2011, in Current Events, Politics and tagged David Oldfield, NSW Election 2011, One Nation, Pauline, Pauline Hanson, Racism, State Election 2011. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Don’t forget that One Nation also had a successful candidate who represented Australia in the senate for a full term. I had met the man on a number of occasion’s and was impressed with his humility and grace and his Christian commitment was a genuine one.
I would also suggest that your rhetorical statement in that her views disgusted the majority of Australians needs either modification or evidence to support it.
Angry Anderson was recently taken to task for his so called racist remarks within the context of how various cultural traditions have impacted violence within the Australian scene and how various cultural groups use a predominant method of violence that has traditionally seen as not fair dinkum within the Australian tradition. Such as no longer one on one fights which ended in shaking of hands and a beer; rather a gang forms and turns on one person; or knives / guns carried and used etc.
Indeed lets allow for a rigorous freedom of speech which allows for a spade to be called a spade; instead of stuff swept under the carpet in political correctness… which I believe is why Pauline Hanson was considered to be a breath of fresh air within the political scene.
Thanks for the comment Craig. In response to your important observation about me stating the disgust of most Australians to Hanson’s views; that may well be anecdotal, and so perhaps I should tone down the language. In saying this, One Nation never earned more than 10% of the vote in ANY election after 1998, with numbers dropping significantly as time went on, with the party earning less than 1% in all elections in the last five years; I would argue this is a strong indicator.
Keep in mind also that ‘majority’ does not imply 90%… the number is much lower.
I thought she emigrated to the UK?……..so much for living in, supporting, being active with your electorate. Please explain?
I have noticed that conservative Australians who would generally align themselves with the Libral party on multicultural and immigration issues are the ones who seem the most outspoken against Hanson. I think the reason she cops so much flack is that her views are one step more ‘racist’ than your average conservative who would not cal themselves racist at all. So conservative types can feel cultured and accepting on an issue that without Hanson they are accused of being the racists