Support Mehreen to stop Pauline Hanson’s racism

Race hate in Australia is only getting worse. We’ve seen unacceptable levels of racial vilification during the Voice referendum, and now during the catastrophe in Gaza. I’m taking a stand and inviting you to join me.

One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson has hurt migrants and people of colour for too long with her damaging brand of hate. I’m taking her to court to force her to abide by the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, and to stop her from hurting even more people. This court case is about holding her accountable for her actions.

About the case

I am suing Senator Hanson in the Federal Court for unlawful racial vilification. Senator Hanson tweeted on 9 September 2022 telling me to “pack [my] bags and piss off back to Pakistan”. Not only did the tweet itself impact me, but it also unleashed a frenzy of hate, abuse and threats of violence targeted at me for months after.

Many migrants told me how triggered they felt after seeing Senator Hanson's tweet and the racial abuse I suffered. I’m taking this action on their behalf, and on behalf of any person who has suffered at the hands of racism in Australia. If I am successful, I am not seeking any compensation for myself. I am instead seeking that Hanson be required to donate $150,000 to the Sweatshop Literacy Movement in Western Sydney, which is devoted to empowering culturally and linguistically diverse communities through reading, writing and mentoring. I am also asking the Court to restrain Senator Hanson from saying words like “go back to where you came from” to anyone again.

This is not an action I have taken lightly. I have exhausted all other options to hold Senator Hanson accountable. But, rather than engaging with those processes, Senator Hanson has, on multiple occasions, doubled down and targeted further racist vitriol towards me.

In fact, over a year after she first published the Tweet, Senator Hanson stood up in parliament and told me again that she would take me “to the airport and put [me] on a plane and wave [me] away” because I had the audacity to disagree with her on Palestine. I refuse to let her get away with this kind of rhetoric any longer.

This will be a groundbreaking case.

This case is bigger than you or me. In our multicultural nation, the Racial Discrimination Act is the key protection for people of colour and migrants. Crucially, it creates legal consequences for racist behaviour and shields people from racism. Senator Hanson’s defence aims to gut one of the most important parts of the Act - section 18C. If she is successful, racial discrimination protections in this country will be drastically weakened. We can’t let her get away with it.

Senator Hanson thinks laws that protect people from racism should be scrapped. And she’s engaged two of Australia’s most expensive barristers to do it. If she is successful, racists will be emboldened and our key legal protection against racism will be struck down.

However, if we are successful, we will finally confirm the power of this law, inspire other victims of racism to act and send a clear message that racism is not acceptable.

This is a fight we must have but litigation is expensive and we are up against a right wing fundraising machine determined to fight tooth and nail for the right to engage in bigotry and racism. We need your donations to protect the Racial Discrimination Act and stop Pauline Hanson in her tracks. Please chip in whatever you can.

How will my donation be used?

All the money raised from this crowdfunding initiative will be used for my legal costs, as well as any costs I am ordered to pay by the Court if my case is unsuccessful.

If my legal team is successful and the Court makes a costs order in my favour, this could mean that I end up raising more money than I need to pay my legal costs (because Senator Hanson would then be responsible for payment of my legal costs). If this happens, I will make a donation of any surplus funds to the Sweatshop Literacy Movement in Western Sydney. Surplus funds will include any funds raised that exceed the total amount charged by my lawyers.

All names and donation amounts will be declared to parliament in my statement of interests after the court case has concluded.

FAQs

Why will I declare all donors and donation amounts?

After the court case has concluded, I will be declaring the names of all donors and their donations to parliament in my statement of interests which is publicly available. This is vital to ensuring the highest level of transparency and accountability.

If you have chosen to donate to this fundraiser anonymously, then your name and the amount you have donated will only be disclosed in my statement of interests . Your details will not be disclosed in this fundraiser.

Why am I fundraising at this time?

We’ve seen unacceptable levels of racial vilification during the Voice referendum, and now during the catastrophe in Gaza including from Senator Hanson who has said unacceptable things about First Nations people, Muslims and people from the Middle East. Now, more than ever, it is important to take a stand against racial hatred and hold people like Senator Hanson to account. That is what this legal action is about.

If Senator Hanson succeeds in scrapping racial discrimination laws, this would open the floodgates for people like her to unleash their disgraceful hate towards people of colour, refugees and migrants.

Now is the right time to fight for strong laws that protect communities from racial discrimination and vilification. I won’t be pocketing a cent from this fundraiser. All funds will go towards my legal fees, with any extra being donated to the Sweatshop Literacy Movement in Western Sydney.

Please only contribute to this fundraiser if you are able to.

What am I hoping to achieve in this case?

Most importantly, I want to take a stand on behalf of every person who has ever experienced any form of racial hatred in this country. I want to hold Senator Hanson to account and make it known, once and for all, that enough is enough. We will not be silenced. We will not accept racial hatred as the status quo. We will not allow people to question our place in Australia.

I am also asking the Court to: