PM rules out preference deals with One Nation, won’t buy into racism ‘slanging match’

Scott Morrison won’t do a preference deal with Pauline Hanson. Nor will he buy into a ‘slanging match’ over whether she is racist.

Senator Pauline Hanson. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says its “not for me to have a view” on whether she's racist. Picture: Kym Smith

Scott Morrison has refused to label One Nation leader Pauline Hanson a racist as a preference row ensues.

The Prime Minister has refused to commit to put One Nation last or below Labor on election preferences, but he has ruled out any deals with Senator Hanson’s party.

When asked multiple times if the One Nation leader, who has long attacked Asian and Muslim immigration, is racist, Mr Morrison refused to say if he believed that.

“Pauline has expressed extremely strong views on these issues over a long period of time. I must say in more recent times, particularly in this term of parliament, we’ve worked closely with Pauline on a lot of important issues,” he told Melbourne’s 3AW radio.

“I think it’s pretty easy to just go they have a view on this and they have nothing to contribute on any other issue.

“I tend deal with people on the issues they present to me and Pauline has never raised and come to me on those issues (of race), she’s come to me on things like how welfare is spent … and she has very deep concerns about the way the family court system works.”

Mr Morrison did say One Nation did not share Liberal Party values on a non-discriminatory immigration policy or the role of government in the national economy, but would not call those policies racist.

“I don’t think it helps to get into this slanging match over personalities,” he told 3AW radio.

“It’s not for me to have a view … she’s accountable, as is her party, for what her own positions and what they say.”