‘It’s about money’: Pauline Hanson doubles down on her views opposing Pay The Rent initiative

The One Nation leader has slammed an initiative that would see non-Indigenous Australians donate to traditional landowners, coining it as ‘discriminatory’.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has lashed out at a proposal that could see Australians pay “rent” to traditional landowners, labelling the idea “outrageous” and “offensive”.

The Pay The Rent initiative proposes a weekly payment from non-Indigenous homeowners to a “Sovereign Body of First Nations people” who will decide where the money is allocated without government input.

The body, which is driven by the motto “saying sorry isn’t enough”, hopes to turn the scheme into an organisation that encourages all Australians to “honour the legacy of the Elders” by giving back to the land through monetary donations.

“It is a somewhat more just way of living on this stolen land,” its website states.

Aboriginal rights activist Robbie Thorpe, who ran a similar scheme in Melbourne in the 1990s, has suggested one per cent of weekly wages be paid to the body.

There are no calls for the race-based “land tax” scheme to be made government policy - although ex-Greens senator Lidia Thorpe and feminist author Clementine Ford have backed the scheme.

Pauline Hanson has labelled the Pay The Rent initiative as "offensive" and "outrageous". Picture: Twitter / @PaulineHansonOz

Senator Hanson has “strongly condemned” the scheme since its inception in the 1970s, and has gone as far as pushing others to sign a petition to “Stop the Rent Tax”.

Her party has also released a statement branding the scheme as “deeply flawed and unjust” and a “distraction” from the real issues faced by the Indigenous community.

Now, in her latest address to the senate, the outspoken Senator doubled down on her criticism of the plan, claiming it was “offensive” towards Australians.

“The idea Australians should pay rent for living in their own country is offensive, it’s based on the idea that only Aborigines (sic) own Australia. They don’t,” she said.

“I was born here and no self-identifying Indigenous Australian including those with minute amounts of Indigenous heritage has more right or connection to this land than I do.”

Senator Hanson continued by claiming all Australians had contributed to the nation’s achivements, failures and values, suggesting the scheme would be “discriminatory” towards the non-Indigenous community.

“The only good thing about the race-based rent idea is that the activists who want it reveal their true motivation,” she said.

“It’s not about justice or redress, it’s about money. Other people’s money. It’s just about their greed.”

The idea that non-indigenous Australians should pay rent to indigenous Australians is offensive and outrageous. Australia belongs to all Australians regardless of race. Let's reject this discrimination and focus on real problems affecting all Aussies! pic.twitter.com/67oTXL5G8f

— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) March 21, 2023

She continued her speech by slamming the Voice to Parliament, insisting it would be a gateway to giving the body a reason to introduce similar plans to the Pay The Rent initiative.

“It’s only a matter of time before non-Aboriginal Australians are forced to pay yet more tax, a race-based rent tax,” she said.

“As usual the Aboriginal industry will keep all the money and truly disadvantage Aborigines (sic) and remote communities will continue to suffer poverty, unemployment and crime.”

To date, One Nation’s petition to stop the initiative coming into effect has gained just short of 9400 signatures, 600 signatures less than its goal of 10,000.

Meanwhile many other Australians have backed Senator Hanson’s views online.

“Pauline, I think this is one of the rare things I‘ve heard you say I think I might agree on,” a Sydneysider said.

“We all need to get along. There is value in all cultures and heritage. Can we agree on that?”

However those in favour of the initiative argued it was the least that could be done to support the Indigenous community.

“It‘s their land – they never ceded ownership. After they suffered a century of genocide – rent is the least we should give them,” one comment read.

Senator Lidia Thorpe has backed the Pay The Rent initiative. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Feminist writer Clementine Ford and Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe have also publicly come forward backing the “no strings attached to government” scheme.

“It assists sovereign grassroots fight the many campaigns and struggles we face everyday,” Senator Thorpe said.

The scheme would be voluntary, with the money received to go towards covering house-related costs, health and education, while reducing the need for government handouts.

Additionally, the Pay The Rent website states it’s “not enough” for non-Indigenous Australians to only make monetary contributions to the indigenous community, stating treaty, advocacy and solidarity is needed.

“Paying the Rent is a step towards acknowledging these facts,” the website states.

“It is part of a process that all non-Indigenous people – individually and collectively – need to enter into if we are to move towards justice, truth, equality and liberation for First Nations people.”

News.com.au has contacted Pay The Rent for comment.