OPINION: Pauline Hanson supporters deserve a voice

THERE is little doubt the bleeding heart brigade or a certain Logie-winning TV presenter will not be voting for Pauline Hanson at the upcoming federal election.

SPEAKING OUT: Pauline Hanson is a love or hate figure who is sure to spark controversy. Picture: Chris Ison ROK190715crally4

THERE is little doubt the bleeding heart brigade or a certain Logie-winning television presenter will not be voting for Pauline Hanson at the upcoming federal election.

But there are many that will.

There is also little doubt both major political parties and leading media outlets will run a campaign to see Hanson fail in her Senate bid.

But deep down the latter wants her to win but cannot be seen to be supporting her.

Why? I will get to that in a minute.

Someone once said to me there is a little bit of Pauline in all of us but it is just whether you want to admit it or not.

While I do not necessarily agree with that statement, I can see where the person who said it to me was coming from.

Pauline Hanson is a controversial and decisive character but you have to give her credit for speaking her mind.

MPs these days are too fearful of speaking their minds, especially if it is not in line with party lines.

The fact Hanson is once again in the spotlight shows she could actually be successful in being elected.

Imagine the outcry from certain sections of the community and the lecture we will get from Logie- winning TV presenter Waleed Aly if that happens.

The media will have you believe Hanson's only platform is anti-immigration and anti-Islam, and yes, the Queensland Times has been guilty of that as well.

A simple browse of her One Nation website shows a host of policies and issues she is passionate about.

Hanson's other policies include tackling the ice epidemic, foreign ownership of land, opposing asset sales, access to medicinal cannabis, sustainable development and an increase to aged pensions.

Those policies sound remarkably similar to those of the major political parties.

But those policies are not as sexy for headline writers as the anti-immigration and anti-Islam tirades Hanson is known for.

Simply put, the other policies will not get the web clicks and unique browsers the media craves.

But if she is elected the media will very quickly change their tune because Hanson is guaranteed "click bait" for websites and great talent for breakfast television.

Love her or loathe her, you have to give Hanson credit for putting herself out there for ridicule and scorn each and every election cycle.

I am no supporter of Pauline Hanson but I do believe the minority who support her deserve a voice like the rest of us.

Or don't those people deserve a voice because their opinions and views are not in line with the vast majority?

If that is the case, then sadly our democracy is very much broken.

At the end of the day it is your democratic right to vote for who you want . . . at least you know what you will get with Hanson!