Australian high court to hear Pauline Hanson appeal over racial discrimination ruling

The Guardian reported that Australia’s high court has granted special leave to hear an appeal by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. The appeal challenges a federal court ruling that found Hanson had engaged in racial discrimination against Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi. The lower court had concluded that Hanson portrayed Faruqi as a “second‑class citizen” after telling her to “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan”. The full federal court unanimously upheld that 2024 decision earlier in the year. On Thursday, the high court agreed to review the case, giving Hanson the opportunity to contest the finding. The legal dispute centers on whether Hanson’s remarks constitute unlawful racial discrimination under Australian law.

Why it matters

The case will test how Australian courts interpret political speech that targets a public official’s ethnicity, potentially shaping future standards for racial discrimination claims.

Key details

Location

Pakistan · Asia

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

5 Nov 2026, 10:33 IST

Key names

Pauline Hanson, Mehreen Faruqi, Nation, Australia

Section

World

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The Guardian‘Bring it on’: Pauline Hanson to appeal Mehreen Faruqi racial discrimination ruling in high court 5 Nov, 10:33

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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