Sydney
A fish-and-chips shop owner who became a force in Australian politics with her anti-immigration party was jailed last week for election fraud. Political amateur Pauline Hanson formed her own party, One Nation, and won a seat in Parliament in 1996 by proclaiming that Australia was being “swamped by Asians.” One Nation’s policy recommendations on restricting immigration were widely denounced as racist. Still, much of the party’s agenda, such as a demand that boat people be denied permanent residence, was ultimately adopted by the government. Prosecutors said Hanson fudged her party membership figures to get One Nation on the ballot, and she was sentenced to three years in prison. Hanson’s Web site said she was being persecuted just “like Nelson Mandela” for speaking up for the “oppressed”—in this case, white Australians.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
