Pauline Hanson will preference the Liberal party as she pushes to ban burqa in public spaces
PAULINE Hanson will preference the Liberal Party in this month’s crucial Longman by-election — and also launch a renewed push to ban the burqa in public places. Should the burqa be banned? Vote in our poll.
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PAULINE Hanson will preference the Liberal Party in this month’s crucial Longman by-election — and also launch a renewed push to ban the burqa in public places.
Sources close to Senator Hanson told The Sunday Telegraph the party had originally planned to run an open how-to-vote card in the Queensland seat because Senator Hanson didn’t want to be seen as aligning herself with the major parties.
But two weeks ago, Labor unleashed a robo-call targeting One Nation in Queensland, taking aim at Senator Hanson’s support for the government’s income tax cuts.
Those close to the Senator claim the message, which directed people to call Senator Hanson’s office, said she was “extremely angry” with the stunt and will now direct her party’s preferences to the Liberal Party as payback.
The decision to preference the Liberals is likely to swing Longman to the Coalition with a recent poll showing support for One Nation had increased from 9.5 per cent of the vote in 2016 to 14.7 per cent.
It comes as Senator Hanson prepares to ramp up her push to ban the burqa following a recent trip to France, where she met with officials who told her the policy was “working well”.
It comes as Senator Hanson prepares to ramp up her push to ban the burqa following a recent trip to France, where she met with officials who told her the policy was “working well”.
Next month Senator Hanson, who denied doing a deal with a government on tax, will bring forward debate on legislation to ban the burqa, which was first introduced by former senator Jacqui Lambie.
Senator Hanson will propose amendments to the bill, which will make it a criminal offence to wear a full face covering in public. The change goes a step further than the Lambie legislation, which would only ban the burqa if Australia’s terror threat level is raised to “probable”.
Senator Hanson told The Sunday Telegraph the proposal will help new migrants assimilate into society.
“This isn’t something that should be controversial. All over the world countries are taking action,” Ms Hanson said.
“This is about national security … also, many women are forced to wear the burqa by their male family members and this measure will help free those women from this oppression.”
The One Nation leader said voters were “sick of politicians avoiding these issues”.
“I won’t let the other parties hide from these controversial issues. I will force them to put their cards on the table. Do they support a safe, secure, Australia that protects women from oppression? Or will they give all that away because they’re afraid of offending people and losing votes?”