Pauline Hanson loses it over halal snack packs

COMEBACK queen Pauline Hanson was graciously accepting the congratulations when one little word set her temper ablaze.

“I don’t believe in halal.” Photographer: Liam Kidston.

IT’S the moment Pauline Hanson has been waiting for.

The One Nation leader has emerged as the comeback queen of the federal election after years in the political wilderness, winning a Senate seat for herself and potentially another for her running mate Malcolm Roberts.

As her sworn enemies bestowed their congratulations live on Channel 7 Saturday night, Ms Hanson accepted graciously — until Labor senator Sam Dastyari dared to mention one of her pet peeves.

After commending the nationalist stalwart on her historic return, Senator Dastyari overstepped the mark with his choice of cuisine when inviting the incoming Senator out for a celebratory feed.

“It does look like you’ll be joining us in the Senate. It’s an amazingly interesting place, and I’m sure you’ll make it more interesting,” Mr Dastyari said.

“And, Pauline, right now I will invite you to join me in Sydney, and I will take you out for halal snack pack out in Western Sydney, whenever you want.”

HALAL SNACK PACK WEDDING PROPOSAL: VICTORIAN MAN PUTS RINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF HSP

Sam Dastayari just won the election inviting Hanson to have a Halal snack pack. #ausvotes #auspol pic.twitter.com/KxFa3I3wvp

— Tobylerone (@Toby_Halligan) July 2, 2016

Ms Hanson was not amused.

“It’s not happening, not interested in halal, thank you,” she said, waving a finger in the air.

“I’m not interested in it. I don’t believe in halal certification,” she railed, citing a dubious statistic that “98 per cent of Australians” opposed it.

Food certified as halal meets the requirements for permissible consumption under Islamic law, with the post-pub kebab its most well-known incarnation in Australia’s suburbs.

News.com.au yesterday brought to light the popularity of a bread-free version of the traditional kebab, known as the Halal Snack Pack (or HSP), featuring shaved meat, chips and garlic sauce.

It’s the perfect post-election snack.

It was not the first time Mr Dastyari had invited a politician to partake of his favourite multicultural dish.

The outspoken senator used the final minutes of his speech to Parliament on March 16 to wax lyrical about the King Kebab House at Campbelltown in Sydney’s southwest.

“The greeting I got was 10 out of 10,” Mr Dastyari said. “The signage was 10 out of 10. It was very clear I was purchasing halal products — something that I know many senators on the other side are concerned about. The sauce: fantastic. The chips, the meat, the packaging, the styrofoam container … incredible.”

He invited Liberal Senator James McGrath to Western Sydney to share a meal and called on the Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society — a growing Facebook community of more than 144,000 devotees— to join them.

“With our friends, the brothers and sisters of the Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society, we will experience the delicacy of a halal snack pack together,” Mr Dastyari said; “Bringing together both the conservative and progressive sides of politics in what can only be described as a great Australian tradition of meat in a box.”

Mr Dastyari has previously spoken out against “Islamophobic hate and race mongering” that emerged in the wake of last year’s parliamentary inquiry into halal certification, led by conservative Senator Cory Bernardi.

@samdastyari asking @PaulineHansonOz to grab a halal snack pack with him is the greatest political moment yet this election.

— Mollie (@mollierosea) July 2, 2016

Former Victorian Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett thought fit to remind Ms Hanson of an incident during her previous political career.

“I well remember when you ambushed me on an escalator in a Queensland shopping centre,” Mr Kennett reminisced. “Do you remember that?”

“I do,” Ms Hanson retorted; “You know why? Because you called me a ‘feral’ and I said ‘I’ll chase you up and down the borough.”

It was all water under the bridge to the highly amused Mr Kennett, who offered: “If you have won, and I hope you hear this clearly, then congratulations.”

On a more serious note, Ms Hanson vowed to avoid a repeat of the infighting that had plagued her party in the lead-up to her 2003 conviction for electoral fraud, which was later overturned.

Asked if she was confident that she could “hold it together this time”, she replied: “I am so determined to make this work.”

She blamed machinations by the major parties for her previous downfall, vowing “I’m not going to allow that to happen this time.”

“I’ve got 20 years’ experience now in politics; I’m not the new kid on the block like I was back then,” Ms Hanson said.

Pauline Hanson and her running mate Malcolm Roberts.

Meanwhile, Channel 9 host Karl Stefanovic has had some fun at his co-host’s expense after a flare-up between Lisa Wilkinson and Hanson live on air.

Discussing her victory on the station, Wilkinson asked Hanson: “While you have been in the political wilderness, have you learnt any lessons and will you do anything different this time around?”

Hanson evidently mistook the word “lessons” for “listen”, which led to a terse exchange.

“You have got to be kidding. Hold on a minute. Has the Liberal, Labor or Greens learnt anything? Start listening to grassroots Australians. I don’t need to listen to anything,” Hanson said with a raised voice.

“I know what the people are thinking and how they are feeling. So let’s get this country on track.”

After the interview, Wilkinson insisted: “I said ‘lessons’, not ‘listen’. I said ‘lesson’.”

Stefanovic couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“She learned you. Pauline is all over you. Pauline is all over you like a cheap suit,” Karl joked.

“She misheard me but that’s OK,” Wilkinson said.

“No, she didn’t. She heard you good an proper,” Karl replied.

“I have been told,” Wilkinson said, with a grin.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Ms Hanson was jailed for electoral fraud in 2003. Ms Hanson’s conviction was later overturned and the story has been updated.

— With James Law

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