Pauline Hanson loses appeal over ‘go back to Pakistan’ racial vilification ruling

Australian senator Pauline Hanson lost an appeal on Monday against a racial vilification ruling over comments telling fellow senator Mehreen Faruqi to return to Pakistan.

The Federal Court of Australia ruled in 2024 that Hanson’s comments amounted to a “strong form of racism” following a complaint by Faruqi. Hanson challenged the decision on free-speech grounds, but the court dismissed her appeal.

The case arose from a social media exchange in 2022 after Faruqi, a Pakistan-born Greens senator, criticised Queen Elizabeth II following the monarch’s death.

Hanson responded by telling Faruqi to leave Australia and return to Pakistan.

After Monday’s decision, Hanson said she had been angered by what she regarded as disrespect toward the late Queen and had wanted to challenge it.

Hanson leads One Nation, which AFP described as having risen in opinion polls this year. She has campaigned for tighter immigration restrictions, mass deportations of people described as “illegal migrants” and stronger free-speech protections.