One Nation senator Pauline Hanson is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to support a motion to reverse the suspension of her senatorial privileges following a suspension of parliament to pass bills on hate speech and guns.
The intervention by Hanson has been prompted by federal MPs expected to return to Parliament in Canberra prior to its scheduled resumption on 3 February, in the aftermath of the attack that occurred on 14 December in Bondi, resulting in the death of 15 persons during a Hanukkah event.
The government has indicated that Parliament would hold a pre Australia Day sitting with 12 January suggested.
In an open letter published on X, Hanson urged Albanese to reverse the Senate’s vote so that she can participate in the forthcoming debates.
One Nation Party leader and a senator for Queensland, Pauline Hanson wrote in an open letter published on X : My contribution to this debate as the leader of One Nation Party and Senator for Queensland is critical.
The letter sent out on Tuesday and copied to Foreign Minister Penny Wong and leader of Opposition Senate Michaelia Cash, said: “The suspension is deemed unnecessary when the Parliament is being asked to move swiftly in relation to issues of security and social cohesion.”
The other sanction that prevents her from leading parliamentary delegations also did not amount to much since she could invite herself as a private traveler to meet her counterparts, said Hanson.
Hanson was suspended towards the end of last year following a protest where she wore a burqa inside the Senate chamber due to its refusal to permit her to propose legislation to ban the use of face masks within public places.
A session was stalled for almost two hours as she refused to vacate, with the Senate eventually approving a censure motion by 55 to 5 votes prior to approving her suspension for seven sitting days.
Wong, who moved the censure motion told the Senate that Hanson “has mocked and vilified an entire faith” reflecting widespread support among senators from the Labor Party, the Coalition, the Greens and the crossbench.
Labor’s policy agenda honed post Bondi is a suite of measures to improve hate speech legislation and hate preachers together with the offer of funding to support a national gun buy back scheme as the states and territories close the loophole on firearm legislation.
The government has pledged new crimes against violent group leaders and a process to proscribe groups associated with hate speech that espouses violence among other changes to serious charges and the dangers of radicalization.
As for gun control policies, Albanese has already unveiled the largest buyback scheme supported by the Commonwealth since the Howard days, where the cost of the buyback will be shared equally between the federal and state/territory governments.
A buyback scheme will need federal legislation to allocate funds, although the day to day gun control is under state jurisdiction.
Albanese stated on Wednesday, The first priority of the government was to recall parliament as soon as the legislative work was ready.
The suspension of Hanson is based on sitting days, so any calling back to Parliament would advance the date by which she is banned from the House.
The Senate would first need to reconsider and reverse its ruling in order to lift the ban.
