Palmer candidate endorsed Anning speeches

The Queensland secretary of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has endorsed speeches in parliament by Fraser Anning.

UAP candidate for Leichhardt Jen Sackley in Townsville. Picture: AAP

The Queensland secretary of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has endorsed speeches made in parliament by Fraser Anning and has shared social media posts calling for a ban on immigration from the Middle East.

Jen Sackley, UAP’s immigration spokeswoman and candidate for the Queensland elec­torate of Leichhardt, twice last June shared Facebook posts from Australians Against Islamisation and Sharia Law.

Both posts had selective quotes from Bob Katter, making it look like he was calling for a ban on ­immigration from the Middle East and North Africa.

“As I’ve said on the public ­record many times, it is imperative the people from the Middle East and North Africa are barred from entering Australia,” the posts said.

She endorsed a speech by Senator Anning — who is last on UAP’s ticket — calling for Australia to leave the UN Human Rights Council. She also “liked” the “Wake Up Australia — Be Proud” Facebook page, which regularly shares Islamophobic messages. The page has called for Senator Anning to be prime minister and promotes a Go Fund Me page for his re-election to the Senate.

A UAP spokesman distanced the party from Ms Sackley’s social media postings but would not say if she would be disendorsed or dumped as the party’s immigration spokeswoman. “None of these views are consistent with those of the United Australia Party,” the spokesman said. “We disagree with just about everything Anning stands for and says.”

Ms Sackley, a former One ­Nation candidate, denied she was a racist, claiming to be proud of “the way we value multiculturalism”.

“I am not a racist and I would not tolerate this behaviour from anyone. I hold a master’s degree in social work and I am extremely proud of our nation, its social fabric and the way we value multiculturalism,” she said.

“One of the main reasons I moved from One Nation was its continued policy correlation with racism. North Queensland and Australia is founded on the proud traditions of many nations.”

Queensland Labor senator Murray Watt said the social media posts were “completely unacceptable” and should be retracted.

“Recent events have shown it is important for all political parties to encourage racial harmony and not fan racism,” Senator Watt said.

The sitting LNP member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, said Ms Sackley “clearly has no understanding” of the local Muslim community. “Our Muslim population in far north Queensland is a very important and vibrant part of the community,” Mr Entsch said.