2026-07-27
The Australian Greens celebrate today’s decision by the Full Federal Court to uphold the original finding that Pauline Hanson racially discriminated against Senator Mehreen Faruqi. The court's decision confirms the original ruling that Senator Hanson's 2022 tweet, in which she told Senator Faruqi to "piss off back to Pakistan", breached section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
This decision sends a clear message that hate speech is not free speech, and that racial vilification, including from public figures with large platforms, has consequences under Australian law.
Challenging racism is not easy, particularly for people who carry the burden of experiencing it. This decision will be felt deeply by migrant, First Nations and Muslim communities across Australia, many of whom saw the original finding as a rare moment of validation and accountability after years of being told that racial abuse is simply the cost of political participation.
The far-right is feeding off the failing system where Labor and the Liberals have chosen to make life harder for ordinary people and easier for the 1%. This decision shows we can win when we take on the far-right, and we can do the same fighting to change the system created by Labor and the Liberals.
The Greens express our full solidarity with Senator Faruqi and all people who experience racism in this country. Mehreen’s courage and resilience has advanced the fight against racism and xenophobia in this country. We recommit our movement every day to building and fighting for a fairer, more inclusive, and proudly multicultural Australia.
The Greens continue to call for full funding of the National Anti-Racism Framework as we work together to build an Australia where everyone is treated with dignity, where everyone belongs, and where communities are not subjected to racial vilification