‘OK to be white’ vote an ‘administrative mistake’

SENATOR Pauline Hanson says the government have “woken up with white guilt” after it declared an “admin error” was made when it backed her motion that “it is OK to be white”.

SENATOR Pauline Hanson says the government have “woken up with white guilt” after it declared it was an “administrative error” that it backed One Nation’s motion that “it is OK to be white”.

The Coalition Government took 17 hours to say its support for the motion in the Senate on Monday was an administrative error and it had intended to oppose the motion.

In a controversial move yesterday, the government voted for the motion put up in the Senate, though it went down 31-28.

A total of 23 government Senators voted for the motion, including four from Queensland, and none opposed it.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and his cabinet colleagues Michaelia Cash, Simon Birmingham, Mitch Fifield, Matt Canavan and Bridget McKenzie all voted in favour.

So too did crossbench senators Peter Georgiou, Cory Bernardi, David Leyonhjelm and Fraser Anning.

One Nation party leader Pauline Hanson reacts during debate in the Senate chamber on Monday. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Senator Hanson said it was an “unforeseen backflip” by the government and “both Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Senate leader Mathias Cormann have woken with white guilt and withdrawn their support” for the motion.

“After this morning’s statement by Minister Cormann, I’m still unclear on which part of my motion they found so controversial that they disagree with?” she said.

“What today’s announcement shows, is that this Government is either so worried about the outcome of the weekend’s Wentworth by-election that they feel the need to pander to left-wing extremists that believe it’s not OK to be white, or they blindly vote on important motions, bills and legislation without proper consideration.

“If I had said, ‘it’s OK to be black’, every single senator in the chamber would have voted for it.

“As I stated on the floor of the Senate, I have always believed it’s OK to be black, white or brindle.”

Attorney-General Christian Porter said it was his staff who missed the meaning of the words in the motion, which led to the government backing the “OK to be white” vote.

“It appears that, of the very large number of motions on which my office’s views are routinely sought, this one was not escalated to me because it was interpreted in my office as a motion opposing racism,” he said.

“The associations of the language were not picked up. Had it been raised directly with me those issues would have been identified.”

He said his office was partially responsible for the “administrative error” and he would review the processes he has in place.

Senator Cormann said the intention had always been to oppose the motion.

“When the motion was first raised in September, the government made a clear decision to oppose this motion and to make a statement that as a government we deplore racism in any kind,” he said.

“That is a decision that should have been maintained yesterday and as a result of an administrative process failure it wasn’t. That is regrettable and I take responsibility.”

He said there was a substantial workload in the Senate, with 50 to 60 motions being voted on each week.

Senator Cormann was absent from the vote yesterday.

He did not condemn the motion or One Nation for moving it.

“I don’t support the form of words that’s in that motion and the government made a decision not to support that motion. We deplore racism of any kind,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said it is “regrettable” government senators voted in favour of the motion.

Senator Hanson on Monday moved the motion, which was symbolic only, that the Senate acknowledge that there was a rise of “anti-white racism” and that “it is OK to be white”.

“People have a right to be proud of their cultural background, whether they are black, white or brindle,” Senator Hanson said.

Senator Derryn Hinch said that Senator Hanson and Senator Fraser Anning – who this year promoted a return of the White Australia policy – were “locked in a race to see who can be the biggest, the loudest, ­racist bigot”.