The Pauline Hanson Phenomenon
Christopher Woo

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Pauline Hanson, the leader of the conservative One Nation Party, is one
of Australia's most controversial politicians. Her remarks on Asians and
aborigines have angered these groups and have led many to perceive
Australia as a racist nation. Hanson argues both for a cut in Asian
immigration to Australia and for an end to what she labels "preferential
treatment" for aborigines.1 In her maiden address to Parliament on 10
September 1996, Hanson warned that Australia is in danger of being
swamped by Asians. Furthermore, she blames preferential policies of the
government which provide "opportunities, land, moneys and facilities" to
aborigines for encouraging separatism, and therefore calls for the end of
such special treatment.2 Her remarks have exacerbated racial tension in
Australia and have offended citizens of Asian nations. Pauline Hanson's
incendiary speech has come at a time when Australia is trying to integrate
with Asia and to reconcile with the aborigines. However, her ideas have
gained support because of the uncertainties facing Australians today: the
impact of indigenous land rights, economic hardships due to Australia's
increasingly open economy, and identity questions stemming from an
increase in Asian immigration.
 

Indigenous Racial Tension

Aborigines have traditionally suffered discrimination in Australia.
Recently, however, there have been attempts by the government to
reconcile with Australia's native population. In 1992 the Supreme Court
upheld a claim submitted by Eddie Mabo, an aborigine, which recognized
native land rights for the first time.3 This ruling directly contradicts
Australia's traditional land doctrine which holds that land ownership did
not begin until the Europeans arrived. In December 1993, the
government passed the Native Title Act which recognized native land
rights.4 The land claims which have resulted from this act have angered
the farmers, ranchers and mining companies who control a large
percentage of Australian land and worry that they will either lose control
of their land or be forced to pay rent to the aborigines to use it. These
citizens have become a basis of support for Hanson.
 

Increased Immigration

Another cause for the rise in Australian extremism is the recent massive
economic dislocation in Australia that has been precipitated by the
opening of the Australian market. Australia has traditionally been a
strongly protectionist country; its economy is built on tariff protection,
controlled immigration and industrial harmony derived from guaranteed
minimum wages. Opening Australia's market to international competition
has resulted in reduced tariffs which has meant greater competition in the
manufacturing sector and increased job loss. With the unemployment rate
hovering around 8.7% for the last eight months, some Australians blame
immigrants for taking jobs that Australians would otherwise have had.5
Pauline Hanson exploits these ethnic divisions and offers Australians a
scapegoat.

Some Australians believe that there are too many Asian immigrants.
Australia has traditionally viewed itself as an extension of the European
community and accordingly implemented the White Australia policy
which lasted until 1973. Recently, however, for geo-economic reasons,
Australia has increased its interaction with the nations of the Pacific Rim.
William Hayden, a former Foreign Minister, said in 1983 that Australia is
"an anomaly as a European country in this part of the world . . . It is
inevitable in my view that Australia will become a Eurasian country over
the next century or two."6 As Australia gradually becomes more
Eurasian, the nation must struggle to balance its traditional ties to Britain
with its new interest in East Asia. Many Australians find it difficult to
adjust to this new Australian identity.
 

International Outrage

Leaders of Asian countries have expressed concern over Pauline
Hanson's anti-Asian remarks. Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi, said that Pauline Hanson's maiden speech in Parliament
"is a big issue," and lends credibility to Asian suspicions that "Australians
do not like us."7 Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad has
called Pauline Hanson "a little bit moronic."8 The Indonesian ambassador
to Australia feels that the race debate inspired by Hanson's
maiden speech in Parliament "could damage the image of Australia
abroad."9 But Singapore's Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong asserts that
"the debate had [already] hurt relations between [Singapore] and
Australia."10 There is a regional consensus that Pauline Hanson's remarks
damage Australia's ties to Asia.
 

Domestic Response

The government of Prime Minister John Howard has not alleviated the
concerns of Asian countries. Australia has introduced more stringent
requirements on immigration at the same time that Pauline Hanson was
calling for a decrease in Asian immigration. Aiming to cut Australia's
immigration influx from 83,000 in 1995-1996 to 74,000 in 1996-1997,
the government proposed a reduction of slots for applicants applying
under the family immigration program.11 Since more Asians apply for the
family immigration program than do other nationalities, citizens of Asian
countries believe this move to be racially motivated. The fact that in 1988
Australia's prime minister Robert Hawke stated that "Asian migration to
Australia should be slowed in the interest of social cohesion" reinforces
Asian suspicion that Australia might be returning to the White Australia
policy.12 If racism does not motivate his immigration policy, Howard
should make a greater effort to articulate the reasons behind the cut in
immigration.

Although Pauline Hanson reflects a worrisome trend in Australian politics,
it is important not to exaggerate her significance. The frequency of racial
conflict has increased, but Australia remains a relatively tolerant country.
Many Australians participate in protests against Pauline Hanson wherever
she holds her party conferences, and racial harmony is the norm in
Australia, especially in major cities like Melbourne and Sydney, where
approximately 40% of the population is non-white.13

However, Pauline Hanson's rhetoric is irresponsible and highly
inflammatory. The Australian government must make it clear that it does
not support her policies. Both the Labor Party and the Australian
Democratic Party, two opposition parties, have urged Prime Minister
Howard to publicly denounce Pauline Hanson during the second round of
Australia's parliamentary elections.14 Additionally, the government needs
to make a greater effort to educate people about the harmful effects of
racism. By educating the public and unequivocally criticizing Pauline
Hanson's views, the Australian government can demonstrate to the
domestic and international communities that Pauline Hanson's racist
remarks have no place in the formulation of Australian policies.
 

An International Reconciliation

Australia's attempts to integrate with Asia will not be successful if Asia
does not cooperate. Moves to create an East Asian Caucus, which
excludes Australia, would merely play into the hands of extremists who
argue that Australia does not have a place in Asia. Citizens of these
nations must call for an end to derogatory remarks made by leaders such
as Mahathir, who has called Australians descendants of "ex-convicts and
social discards."15 Only by educating the Australian citizenship and
silencing the statements of Asian leaders can extremists like Pauline
Hanson be neutralized.

Notes:

1 "MP's remarks spark racism debate." Facts on File World News
Digest, November 7, 1996, p. 831.

2 Gerald Stewart. "Signs of growing racial enmity in Australia," Deutsche
Presse-Agentur, March 15, 1996.

3 Clyde H. Farnsworth. "Anxious in Australia: Blaming it all on them,"
The New York Times, May 11, 1997.

4 "Land rights act could jeopardize Australian mining," Reuter European
Business Report, March 7, 1994.

5 Farnsworth.

6 Katherine Betts. Ideology and Immigration, (Melbourne: Melbourne
University Press, 1988), p. 159.

7 Noorzita Samad, Baidura Ahmad. "Downer allays fears over racism,"
New Straits Times, November 22, 1996. p. 23

8 "Major events in Pauline Hanson's political career," AAP Newsfeed,
September 6, 1997.

9 "Indonesian ambassador to Australia warns on race debate," Agence
France Presse, November 28, 1996.

10 Paul Tait. "Australia's Howard seeks to mend fences with China,"
Reuters Financial Service, March 25, 1997.

11 Lachlan Colquhoun. "Australia to put block on family immigrants,"
Asia Times, November 20, 1996.

12 Colquhoun.

13 Seth Mydans. "Chatswood journal; sea change down under: Drifting
to the Orient?," The New York Times, February 7, 1997.

14 Maria Hawthorne. "Howard rebukes Hanson but refuses to put her
last," AAP Newsfeed, August 25, 1997.

15 Mydans.