In a high-profile case before the federal court, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has been labeled a ‘hypocrite’ who allegedly opposes only certain types of racism. This accusation arose during her legal proceedings against One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
Senator Faruqi initiated legal action following a contentious comment by Ms. Hanson on the platform formerly known as Twitter, now X. In the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth’s passing in September 2022, Ms. Hanson suggested that Senator Faruqi should ‘p*** off back to Pakistan.’
During Monday morning’s cross-examination, Senator Faruqi maintained her stance against all forms of racism. However, Ms. Hanson’s leading lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC, contended that Senator Faruqi’s opposition to racism is selective.
“I’ll be putting to her that she’s a hypocrite,” Ms. Chrysanthou asserted, “and that she’s only against certain forms of racism.”
Ms. Chrysanthou pointed to social media activity from Senator Faruqi’s son, Osman Faruqi, a journalist with The Age, highlighting posts she claimed were offensive towards white people.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi is a ‘hypocrite’ who is ‘only against certain forms of racism’, the federal court has been told in her blockbuster proceedings against Pauline Hanson
Ms Faruqi is suing Ms Hanson over a comment she made on X, then Twitter , telling her to ‘p*** off back to Pakistan ‘ following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022
One particular tweet from Osman Faruqi stated, “Mediocre white people should be in the bin but instead they own everything and are every-f***ing-where,” drawing attention in the courtroom.
Asked whether she thought the post constituted racism, Ms Faruqi said: ‘I don’t.’
‘You don’t consider it racist?’ Ms Chrysanthou asked again.
Ms Faruqi argued that racism ‘is about people’s ethnicity and skin colour. It is about who holds power in this country or anywhere else in the world’.
She added: ‘It is tied to who holds the power and has the authority, to perpetrate racism. In this country, the power is held by white people.’
But she accepted that critics often share that particular post on her own social media platforms and express anger about the sentiment.
Just moments earlier, Ms Faruqi had again insisted that she stands against racism, ‘without qualifying’ precisely what that meant.
Ms Chrysanthou said: ‘She redefined racism to only, apparently, include some minorities. It’s hard to understand that decision.
‘I wish to explore what she considers to be inappropriate racism, or what is acceptable racism.’
Pictured: Mourners at Westminster Abbey following the death of the Queen
Ms Chrysanthou honed in on social media posts made by Ms Faruqi’s son, Age journalist Osman Faruqi (pictured), which she told the court were offensive to white people
Justice Angus Stewart, who is presiding over the case, made reference to another high-profile case which is grappling with the definition of racism.
Matildas star Sam Kerr is currently fighting the charge of racially-aggravated harassment in the UK.
He mentioned that an argument is mounting, similar to what Ms Faruqi said, that white people hold the power in certain circumstances and therefore aren’t discriminated against on the basis of race.
Ms Hanson’s defence is built upon her belief that she made a ‘fair comment’ in response to Ms Faruqi’s criticism of the Queen.
Just hours after the Queen’s death, Ms Faruqi wrote: ‘Condolences to those who knew the Queen.
‘I cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples.
‘We are reminded of the urgency of Treaty with First Nations, justice and reparations for British colonies and becoming a republic.’
The back-and-forth kicked off following the death of the Queen in September 2022
Five hours later, senator Hanson responded and said Ms Faruqi should ‘pack (her) bags and p*** off back to Pakistan’.
She added: ‘Your attitude appalls and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country.
‘You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It’s clear you’re not happy.’
Hanson: ‘You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and p*** off back to Pakistan’
Ms Chrysanthou argues the barrage of criticism Ms Faruqi received was well underway by the time Ms Hanson offered her opinion.
She said Ms Faruqi was facing backlash between 11am and about 4pm, when her staff appeared to limit commenting on the post.
‘As a person who had a sincere and genuine affection toward the Queen… Senator Hanson reacted to what she read, and expressed her genuine view about the conduct of Senator Faruqi,’ Ms Chrysanthou said.
‘In expressing her view about senator Faruqi’s conduct, my client gives examples of past conduct to emphasise her point, being that the tweet was appalling and disgusting and hypocritical.’
She said that in seeking to ‘point out those three things, that the conduct was appalling, disgusting and hypocritical, [Ms Hanson] sets out reasons why she’s formed that view, which classically has explained the basis of the opinion, which is what a fair comment is.
‘Fair comment means an opinion based on facts.
‘One of those facts is that, undoubtedly, Senator Faruqi is an immigrant from Pakistan.’
But Ms Chrysanthou said the ‘inclusion of that fact does not mean that is why’ she made the post. The post, she argues, was a direct reflection of Ms Faruqi’s own comments about the Queen.
‘Merely referring to someone’s background or colour or race is not sufficient to prove the act was done because of that factor,’ she said.
Ms Chrysanthou argued that Ms Faruqi has received far more hurtful racially motivated criticism than what Ms Hanson said, but has only chosen to launch legal proceedings against the One Nation senator because she is a political opponent.
‘You’ve come here to use the witness box as a soap box to give speeches to further your political ends,’ she argued.
Ms Faruqi denied that statement.
Ms Chrysanthou asked Ms Faruqi whether she was of the view that she’d ‘observed racism within the Greens party… particularly within the last 12 months’.
Ms Faruqi agreed that was the case.
‘You’ve not brought any action about racism against anyone in your party?’ Ms Chrysanthou asked.
‘No,’ Ms Faruqi answered.
‘You’ve brought action against my client because she’s a political opponent and she’s a political opponent you’ve not liked for many years,’ Ms Chrysanthou said.
‘Not true,’ Ms Faruqi replied.
‘You’ve chosen now to sue senator hanson because it suits you politically doesn’t it?’
Again, Ms Faruqi denied the proposition.
The hearing continues on Tuesday
