Labor vows to preference Pauline Hanson, Fraser Anning last

Bill Shorten has vowed Labor will “always’’ put One Nation, Fraser Anning last, as the PM says there’ll be no deal with the minor party.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Labor will relegate One Nation and Fraser Anning to the last spots in seats they are contesting. Picture: Colin Murty

Bill Shorten has promised Labor will “always” preference the Liberal and National parties before One Nation and controversial senator Fraser Anning, in a bid to “stop the crazy extremists from getting oxygen”.

The debate over preferences has resurfaced less than a month out from the federal election being called, with Scott Morrison pledging there would be “no preference deals with One Nation” after Pauline Hanson revealed she would not support a bipartisan censure motion against Senator Anning for his response to the Christchurch massacre.

While the Prime Minister did not say where on Liberal how-to-vote cards the party would place One Nation, the Opposition Leader said Labor would relegate the minor party and Senator Anning to the last spots in seats they were contesting.

“I will recommend, and the Labor Party agrees with me, that we will always preference the Liberals and the Nationals ahead of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party and the other senator (Anning),” Mr Shorten said.

“I get that the current Prime Minister doesn’t want Labor to win, that’s his opinion. We don’t want them to win. This nation, though, has to work together much more than we are. And it’s not just fine words, it’s actions that count.

Scott Morrison has ruled out any preference deal with One Nation. Picture: AAP.

“I invite the government, it will be up to them to see if they have the courage of their convictions, but Liberal and Labor, the Nationals and the Greens, we’ve got to form a ring, a bond, which stops the crazy extremists from getting oxygen both by our commentary and by our preferences at the next election.”

Senator Hanson hit out at Mr Morrison’s “knee jerk reaction” ruling out a preference deal and said he deserved to lose the election, noting One Nation had worked constructively with the Coalition for almost three years.

“If the Prime Minister feels it is better for the Liberals to flow their preferences to the economy destroying Greens and Labor before One Nation, Australian voters will react,” she said.

“Australians’ concerns would be ignored without One Nation on the floor of parliament. Without my input, we wouldn’t be having the discussion on water security, immigration, free trade deals or coal.”

“Australians’ concerns would be ignored without One Nation on the floor of parliament. Without my input, we wouldn’t be having the discussion on water security, immigration, free trade deals or coal.”

Senator Anning sparked global condemnation last week when he blamed the terrorist attack, which has killed 50 people, on New Zealand’s immigration program “which allowed Muslim fanatics” in to the country.

Fraser Anning has been condemned across the world for his comments after the Christchurch massacre. Picture: AAP.

Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong called for Senator Anning to resign as a growing number of MPs look at ways to suspend or expel members and senators from federal parliament.

The government and Labor have prepared a censure motion they will move against Senator Anning when parliament resumes in April “for his inflammatory and divisive comments seeking to attribute blame to victims of a horrific crime and to vilify people on the basis of religion, which do not reflect the opinions of the Australian Senate or the Australian people”.

Senator Hanson said she would abstain from the censure motion because she believed in free speech and it “will not prove a damn thing”.

Senator Wong said Senator Anning, who has not backed away from his comments, should clearly resign.

“He should resign, and look, it is heart-warming to see so many people standing against Mr Anning,” Senator Wong told ABC radio.

“What I would say is I hope that what we take from this tragedy is not just standing against Fraser Anning — a man who’s never been elected, who’s seeking to peddle hatred in a pathetic attempt to get re-elected. And of course, he wouldn’t be in the Parliament if Pauline Hanson hadn’t put him on our ticket.

“But I hope that what we do out of this is to stand against hate-speech in all its forms, because that is the lesson, I think, out of this tragedy.”

The Greens are pushing for “extraordinary” action to be taken against Senator Anning, including legislative change to the Privileges Act to expel him from federal parliament.

The rare censure motion is a ­serious form of rebuke but does not have any practical outcome, prompting Greens leader Richard Di Natale to declare the parliament must go further.

Labor senator Kimberley Kitching sits on the Senate privileges committee and said while expulsion of a member or senator was dangerous suspension should be looked at in the next parliament.

“There should be a discussion (about suspending senators) because it is not appropriate for someone to use the words the ‘final solution’,” she said, referencing Senator Anning’s divisive first speech.

“(But) you wouldn’t want a majority to be able to use such a power (like expulsion) against a minority.”