Pauline Hanson slams “disgusting male-bashing” Greens, Moody

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MEDIA RELEASE

Senator Pauline Hanson has described as disgusting comments by a well-known friend of the Greens that firefighters return home from fighting fires to commit acts of domestic violence.

Senator Hanson described the comments as “disgusting” and as “male bashing”, adding that it was “not good enough” for the Greens to promote such rhetoric.

“I’ve had a gutful of hearing from man-hating feminists,” Senator Hanson said.

“I believe in what’s fair and just, and I’m sick and tired of this bashing men in Australia, especially if you’re white.”

The angry response followed a tweet by commentator Sherele Moody that said: “What happens when the fire heroes go home? Some of them bash their partners.”

Ms Moody had sought the support of The Greens to table a petition in the Senate that called for Senator Hanson to be removed from the “Joint Select Committee on Reform of Australia’s Family Law System”.

“She wanted The Greens’ support to put a petition on the floor of parliament to stop me from being on the Family Law Inquiry that I got up for all Australians to have a say,” Senator Hanson explained.

“I’m sick and tired of hearing it, your feminist twisted views about it.

“I’m not going anywhere, so like it or lump it.”

Senator Hanson highlighted the Greens’ poor judgment, given their comments this week that the bushfires were caused by climate change and the major parties were “no better than arsonists” over their response to the issue.

“You can’t come out and make these nasty comments and think that it’s reflective of everyone out there,” Senator Hanson said.

“Especially at a time when there are people working their guts out to protect property, lives, pets and animals.

“And then to be accused of this from a woman who is obviously a man-hater, I’m not going to let it happen.

“It’s disgraceful, she cannot be serious. If she has a hatred of men out there, then she needs counselling.”

Ms Moody reportedly said at The Greens press conference:  “After a cataclysmic event like this, domestic violence peaks”.

Senator Hanson replied:  “It’s not good enough Larissa – you stood beside her during that interview.”

See more at Senator Hanson’s Facebook page, “Pauline Hanson Please Explain”

END

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Hanson urges more expansion to farmer drought payments

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MEDIA RELEASE

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for an end to time limits for payments to drought-impacted farmers under the Farm Household Allowance program.

The allowance, an amount equal to Newstart payments, is available to farmers who are suffering financial stress due to the drought, which has extended into eight years for many communities.

Senator Hanson has criticised Government rules that restrict the payments to “four years in each specified 10-year period”. The first four-year period started in 2014.

“Farmers are still the backbone of this country,” Senator Hanson said in a speech to the Senate.

“One Nation and I will continue to fight to make sure farmers who are struggling financially due to the impact of this extended drought get the support they need.

“The government remains incredibly out of touch with farmers and their needs through these difficult times.

“The eligibility for these Farm Household Allowance payments should be in place for struggling farmers for as long as the drought emergency lasts, whether it’s five years, 10 years or longer, or for a period of time until they are deriving a farm income.

“The point I’ve made previously is that we don’t put time limits on payments for those receiving Newstart.  In fact, there are families that have received such payments for generation after generation, yet we allow that to go on with hardly any questions asked.

“It is worth noting that farmers who receive these Farm Household Allowance payments are not just sitting on the couch watching TV or sitting down at the pub, unlike many other welfare recipients who take these payments as a right.

“The farmers are continuing to work, caring for the cattle, buying fodder, fixing fences, managing weeds and just doing what they can to make ends meet while they wait for the rains that will end the drought. From there they can rebuild their farming operations and their lives.”

Senator Hanson is also angered that the Government has suggested farmers who are struggling should consider their farming futures.

“I’m annoyed that the default position of the government seems to be to tell farmers to reconsider their futures,” she said.

“To me, that sounds like government code for: ‘We have no answers. We give up and we want you to give up too.’

“I’m not having any of that. Our farmers are the lifeblood of Australia. I’m not going to give up. I’m keeping this important industry alive and thriving.

“We grow the best food in the world and we have the best milk and the best livestock, and we are not going to just throw that all away.

“I call on the PM to clean up our own backyard and look after Australians first before handing out hard-earned taxpayer dollars in foreign aid to other nations, who use us as a milking cow, and addressing climate change demands.

“I won’t be taken for a mug and neither will most other Australians.”

END

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Hanson calls for Ag Minister McKenzie’s resignation over dairy debacles

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MEDIA RELEASE

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is calling for National Party Senator Bridget McKenzie to resign as Agriculture Minister over her diabolical management of the draft mandatory dairy code of conduct and The Nationals’ refusal to back the Protecting Australian Dairy Bill.

Senator Hanson said the exposure draft of the code was very poorly written, not in plain English, was a significant departure from previous drafts, and failed to include the recommendations of the recent ACCC’s dairy inquiry.

She added that Minister McKenzie had also misled the public by quoting from a previous superceded code during an ABC radio interview on Monday, October 28, and during Question Time today.

“Senator McKenzie’s handling of this whole code issue has been diabolical, it’s an absolute dog’s breakfast,” Senator Hanson said.

“Her failures have been further aggravated when she refused to answer genuine questions in the Senate today in a frank and honest manner.

“It seems obvious to me that she has no interest in drafting a code that responds to the issues and gives dairy farmers surety in their struggling industry.

“I’ve said all along that she has a huge conflict of interest here – if she wants to be a senator representing Victoria, where some producers don’t want the code, fair enough, but the role of Minister is for all of Australia and she’s failing that role miserably.

“The Prime Minster stepped in to get the mandatory code drafted as a priority after I forced the issue.

“Senator McKenzie should resign from the agricultural portfolio immediately, for the sake of the dairy industry across Australia and agriculture generally.

“The Nationals have been desperately trying to claw back some respectability with farmers and the bush over this matter, even claiming they’re on top of things and have been working on the code for more than a year, but let’s see how keen they are to take responsibility for this mess today.

“In a radio interview last month, Senator McKenzie read from what was inferred was the new code, but it was actually the old code, and things have changed considerably in recent drafts, so she’s obviously not across her brief or she’s being deliberately misleading.

“I’m dumbfounded over what has been her incompetence on this matter; it beggars belief, so I think she has no option but to resign.”

Senator Hanson said the draft was so poorly written that it was possibly not drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Council.

“Senator McKenzie failed to clarify this properly in Question Time today,” Senator Hanson said.

“I’d like to know who drafted it and when – maybe it’s a rush job to make up for lost time.”

Senator Hanson was commenting over the exposure draft of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Industry Code – Dairy).

END

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Nationals Kill Dairy Rescue Bill

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STATEMENT

Many may not be aware of events that occurred in the Senate today, November 11.

I put forward a private senator’s bill that, among other things, aimed to help safeguard the dairy industry by introducing a minimum farm gate price for milk to ensure dairy farming families in Australia could remain viable.

Unfortunately, the Bill was defeated by 31 to 30.

It was most telling that senators from the Liberal and National parties all voted against the Bill, which, in my view, proved to all of us that The Nationals are no longer “the party of the bush”.

As I said in my speech, the Government has been unable to explain to me how dairy farmers would be disadvantaged by the setting of a minimum farm gate price for milk.

In the lead up to today’s Senate debate, I made sure the Government was drawn to the fact that milk is being sold below the cost of water on supermarket shelves.

I also made clear that milk is being sold below the cost of production, and yet the government has kept sitting on its hands, as supermarkets Coles and Woolworths, together with a handful of milk processors, used their market power to control the supply chain and destroy dairy farms and rural Australia.

Our farmers have been systematically squeezed, tighter and tighter, as processors and retailers work together to reduce their profits to virtually nil while filling their own pockets and the pockets of their shareholders. This scenario has quite realistically been pushing Australia ever closer to dependence on imported milk.

The farmers have been dealing with this crushing attitude from their corporate customers, while also dealing with the ever-rising costs of production – fodder, water, electricity, council rates bills, fuel and more.

But the Bill was not just about helping dairy farmers. It was also about maintaining and growing the rural communities that support and depend on farms. It was about food security because we have a need to be self-sufficient in dairy products, including fresh milk.

It’s a poor reflection on the Government today that it was One Nation that has had to take the lead on this matter.

The Liberals and Nationals very clearly turned their backs on the people that they claim to represent, so the Bill was defeated.

I thank Labor, the Greens and Jacqui Lambie who put their political differences aside and supported the Bill.

Australia needs its farmers, and One Nation intends to continue giving them the support they need.

END

Hanson-Katter Drought Tour wins interest-free loans for farmers

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MEDIA RELEASE

The Hanson-Katter tour of drought affected west Queensland has convinced the Government to introduce interest-free loans to struggling farmers and rural businesses.

Interest free loans have been raised at various community meetings on the tour as a sensible strategy that would help alleviate the financial hardship of farmers and businesses enduring the eighth straight year of drought.

“This by far is the greatest accomplishment that One Nation and Katter Australia have achieved from our tour,” Senator Hanson said.

“We took up the challenge, and we put the drought on the agenda, and this announcement is the result.

“Interest-free loans were raised from day one of the tour, last Monday, and it was mentioned constantly through the media and the public forums.

“This victory is glaring proof that when you listen to the people, listen to their suggestions, and make sure their views are given a good airing, that you can convince the Government to take action.

“And it wouldn’t have been possible without Australia’s number one radio broadcaster Alan Jones, who has not let up on making sure the issue was front and centre in the minds of all Australians.

“I want to thank all these amazing residents of Charleville, Cunnamulla, St George, Surat, Roma and the people who drove for many miles to come and see us; thanks for your inspirational resilience, you make us proud to be Australian.”

END

Pauline Hanson supports Bradfield Scheme, but China can’t own it!

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MEDIA RELEASE

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is warning Queenslanders not to let the LNP contract a foreign company to build any Bradfield-type water scheme, which could see taxpayers being forced to pay for their own water.

Senator Hanson said a typical LNP approach was to allow overseas companies to own major state infrastructure, and then charge the Government and taxpayers to get any benefit for it. 

“Any water that is harvested in Queensland belongs to Queenslanders, and we must make sure we retain ownership and keep getting ongoing benefits from the completed infrastructure,” Senator Hanson said.

“The feasibility study used by LNP leader Deb Frecklington to support its policy is one that suggests foreign investment, foreign builders and then foreign ownership – the last thing we need is for a country like China to build and own an iconic project like this.

“I won’t stand to see Queenslanders paying China for our own water, all because the LNP is too timid to take on a project like this on its own, with Australian engineers and workers.

“LNP and also Labor Governments have a track record of selling off infrastructure to foreigners, and I want Queenslanders to join me to fight together to stop this happening again.”

Senator Hanson was responding to the announcement that an LNP Government would build a Bradfield-type Scheme if it wins the October 2020 Queensland election. The scheme proposes building dams in the high rainfall areas of north Queensland and piping the water to western Queensland to help irrigate farm lands and increase flows to river systems, including the Murray-Darling.

Senator Hanson also questioned why the Liberal and Nationals had had such a sudden change of heart over the Bradfield-type Scheme, which has been a long-term One Nation policy that has been criticised regularly in the past.

“Barnaby Joyce gave some support to it but was quickly told to get back in his box, and then I raised it in the Senate and the Liberals and Nationals voted against it,” Senator Hanson said.

“The LNP has hardly spoken a word of it, even criticising me for raising it, but now that there’s an election looming they’ve decided to steal the One Nation policy and run with it.”

In a Notice of Motion in February, Senator Hanson asked: “That the Senate calls on the Federal Government immediately to allocate $10 billion to commence the construction of the much-needed hybrid Bradfield Scheme.”

In response, Assistant Minister Senator Anne Ruston said: “The Bradfield Scheme requires high up-front capital costs and, coupled with the ongoing running costs, would make the project unviable”.

The Senate voted 4 in favour and 46 against Senator Hanson’s idea.

Water Resources Minister David Littleproud was also quoted in the media in August as saying, “Those that want to solely [support] the Bradfield scheme actually do no benefit to the cause of water infrastructure.”

“We shouldn’t be holding onto something that is some years old and was discredited many years later,” he is reported as saying.

One Nation supported the building of a hybrid Bradfield Scheme as 2017 State Election and 2019 Federal Election policies. The party has for years been criticised for persisting with the plan, yet that persistence has now paid off by generating wider acceptance of the ambitious idea.

“A hybrid Bradfield Scheme needs to be built now – not in five years’ time. If I had been in control, it would already be happening,” Senator Hanson said.

“I’ve said all along that this is a game-changing project, and I’m glad that others are now talking about it. It’s early days, and we still need to wait and see if the LNP actually is able to win the election, which is very far from a given, and then see if it actually proceeds with the scheme.”

END

A small price to pay to support struggling farmers

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

I’m pleased to have seen such a huge groundswell of public support from around Australia for our dedicated and struggling dairy farmers.

Many of you would be aware of my success in having a code of conduct fast-tracked for the dairy industry, which, among other things, will help set a minimum farm gate price for milk and therefore help farmers actually make a profit.

I hope that local residents will continue to show support for the industry by backing my proposal to add 10c to the price of each litre of milk, with that money guaranteed to go directly to the farmers.

Australians generally have great respect for our farming families. We know it is a tough job, often very isolating, impacted by many uncertainties, and financially challenging – this lifestyle is all the more difficult when there is a lack of adequate government understanding and support for the industry.

Thankfully, convincing the Australian Government to introduce the long-awaited code of conduct is a positive step forward. I have also introduced a private senator’s bill to set certain safeguards for the industry into law.

But more can be done, starting with all of us doing our bit to support the farmers by buying their produce – specifically, milk.

To put it into context, we seem to be happy paying $2 for a litre of water, and paying even more for fancy products like almond and rice milk and even up to $7 for a two-litre bottle of coconut water.

So, I think paying an extra 10c for a litre of milk is a sensible move that will help our farmers. It’s also a good investment in our rural communities and the future of Australia.

Kind regards

Senator Pauline Hanson

One Nation Leader

Senator for Queensland

END

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Hanson urges Nationals to put aside differences with One Nation to help farmers

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MEDIA RELEASE

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has written to every National Party MP and Senator in the Australian Parliament, urging them to put aside their differences with the One Nation party for the sake of supporting struggling dairy farmers.

The letter asks the National Party parliamentarians to follow the leadership of Labor, which has announced it will support Senator Hanson’s Protecting Australian Dairy Bill 2019.

“Labor has today announced its support to pass the Dairy Bill and I am calling on you to put aside your internal and external differences with One Nation and unite with me to pass this Bill for the sake of Australian dairy farmers,” Senator Hanson wrote in the letter.

“This may require you to cross the floor.

“Dairy farmers have been leaving the industry since it was deregulated in 2000. At that time the population of Australia was around 19 million people and the dairy industry produced close to 12 billion litres of fresh milk a year. 

“Nearly 20 years later Australia’s population is more than 25 million and milk production has fallen to 8.8 billion litres a year. 

“We are in real danger of losing access to fresh milk and becoming reliant on milk powder imported from another country.”

The letter comes at a time when the National Party, which is traditionally the party of the bush and farmer, has reportedly been in disarray. There have also been news reports of anger within the party due to Senator Hanson’s success in securing a key code of conduct for dairy farmers and milk processors.

Senator Hanson last week secured the support of Labor and the Greens to win a Senate Inquiry into the dairy industry, despite Liberals and National senators voting against the proposal.

Senator Hanson’s letter reminded the Nationals that the purpose of the Bill was to improve the viability of the dairy industry by tasking the ACCC to establish a minimum farm price for milk, to legislate a mandatory code of conduct for the relationship between farmers and milk processors, and to make a referral for investigation of the industry by the Productivity Commission. 

Senator Hanson clarified that she is prepared to advise the National Party further if needed.

“My open door policy should give you the confidence to speak with me should you need any further information,” Senator Hanson wrote.

END

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Senator Hanson questions if returning tested pills is illegal

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MEDIA RELEASE

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson has questioned the legality of handing back pills that have been tested at music festivals.

Senator Hanson suggested the practice was akin to turning a blind eye to, and even being complicit in, the commission of a crime.

The issue was raised by Senator Hanson in Senate Estimates today with Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece P Kershaw, during hearings conducted by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Senator Pauline Hanson questions

Senator Hanson asked: “How is it that, outside of the venue, it is illegal to take illicit drugs, but you can go to a venue, you can have your pill tested, it is then handed back to you and saying, ‘It’s ok for you to take that pill?’ Where is the line that it is classified as abiding by the laws of the nation, and not?”

Commissioner Kershaw responded by saying: “I think it goes back to, obviously, if people possess those drugs and they’re an offence, then we’ll enforce that.”

The response followed a string of questions by Senator Hanson that focussed on the police battle against the use and import of illicit drugs.

Senator Hanson: “Is the drugs coming into Australia on the up, or are we keeping it under control?”

Commissioner Kershaw: “We have seen an increase. I mean, Australia is a target market for organised crime given the fact that our price and profit margin for organised crime remains quite high.”

He added however, that the AFP worked very closely with international police – including in Myanmar, Columbia and Mexico – and had achieved successes in their campaign, however Australia’s sentences for crimes may not deter the importers.

Senator Hanson: “(Are) the sentences that we hand out in Australia for illicit drugs determin(ing) the impact or the amount of imports, or the manufacture of drugs in the country? Does that have an impact on it, coming down to the court system, and people selling their drugs?”

Commissioner Kershaw: “I think with organised crime, they’re prepared to operate anywhere, including where there’s jurisdictions where capital punishment exists; they’re quite capable and they will use whatever means they can to make a profit. So, we have very strong laws in Australia as far as sentences go; however, I’m not convinced that that comes into their thinking, at times.”

The commissioner also noted the very real issue of international drug criminals moving into rural communities.

“…regional communities in Australia now are a target too of organised crime and overseas based syndicates, so that’s something we will continue to focus on,” he told the Senate hearings.

Senator Hanson also said she had the greatest respect for the AFP and the work that it does.

END

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Pauline Hanson secures Senate investigation of dairy industry

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A Senate investigation into the performance of Australia’s dairy industry since deregulation in 2000 has been secured by One Nation senator Pauline Hanson.

The Senate voted 33 to 28 in favour of Senator Hanson’s request for what will be a “very broad” inquiry into the industry.

The deregulation of the dairy industry was controversial almost two decades ago and unrest has never completely subsided over the ensuing years.

“The whole dairy industry has been a mess over recent years, and it really doesn’t look like getting much better on its own any time soon, so it is quite vital that we conduct this inquiry to identify and expose the problems, and introduce solutions,” Senator Hanson said.

“The inquiry will be very broad, focusing on industry management, profitability, funding and government support, regulation of farm gate prices, and other issues.”

The One Nation leader has been laser-focussed in her determination to have changes introduced to make sure the industry does not die and so Australia doesn’t become dependent on imported milk and dairy products.

“As I have said many times, we cannot allow our dairy industry to crumble to such desperate lows that farmers simply walk off the land or, worse still, resort to other drastic actions like suicide, which has occurred in an unacceptable number of cases,” Senator Hanson said.

“The fact that there has been little meaningful support from Government only makes the battle even more hopeless and lonely for many struggling dairy farmers.

“We need them to stay profitable, so they can keep producing milk and provide for their families, and to preserve their chosen way of life, which has been that way for generations.”

The inquiry will be conducted via the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. It is scheduled to report back with its findings and recommendations in March 2020.

Topics included in Senator Hanson’s notice of motion, including an examination of the ability of Dairy Australia to act independently and support the interests of both farmers and processors, the accuracy of statistical data collected by Dairy Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the funding of Dairy Australia and its consultation and engagement on certain expenditures, the merits of tasking the ACCC to investigate how it can regulate the price of milk per litre paid by processors to dairy farmers to ensure a viable dairy industry, the introduction of a mandatory industry code of practice, and related matters.

Senator Hanson is encouraged that those and other matters will now be thoroughly investigated by the Parliament, to the benefit of the dairy industry and farmers.

END

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