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anyone who is alarmed by the fact that One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been elected to the Senate in Queensland, perhaps we should take a deep breath. Hanson may have learnt a lot from her time in politics, and grown to appreciate the multicultural landscape that makes Australia such a diverse and brilliant – OH MY GOD SCRATCH THAT SHE’S JUST GIVEN HER FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE SINCE BEING ELECTED.

And it’s worse than we could have possibly imagined. Because in the two decades since Hanson first made the racist, narrow minded remarks that made her something of a national joke, she hasn’t learnt a thing.

Here are the eight most bizarre comments she made as she addressed the press in Brisbane.

#PaulineHanson gives her assessment of @TurnbullMalcolm and @billshortenmp as prime minister material. https://t.co/R1fJRy1Os2

— ABC News (@abcnews) July 4, 2016

She doesn’t want a plebiscite for marriage equality. She wants a referendum (huh?)

On marriage equality Hanson argued, “O

She explained, “Why I’m calling for a referendum is that to change the wording in the constitution, which is section 51 of the Australian constitution, and it just defines the word “marriage.””

Of course, one clever Twitter user pointed out that it isn’t actually the constitution that defines marriage. It’s the Marriage Act of 1961. But hey, surely we don’t expect our politicians to get bogged down in the details.

Pauline wants a referendum on marriage equality, because the constitution defines marriage. Here’s what it says: pic.twitter.com/mAyE85L9Xd — Josh Butler (@JoshButler) July 4, 2016

She says ‘it’s been proven’ that you ‘don’t have a full burqa’.

It’s not clear what’s been ‘proven’, it sounds like maybe she just doesn’t like the burqa. Although she fails to offer any kind of argument as to why.

…We think it’s probably just you, Pauline.

She wants to ban Islamic schools.

Apparently, Islamic schools are directly linked to terrorism on our streets.

Hanson said, “

Take action @AnnastaciaMP against MF Islamic School in Bris. Don’t ignore for fear of being called racist https://t.co/VXd8sncl7r #auspol

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) February 12, 2016

“Why don’t we investigate this further to ensure that we don’t become like the place many other countries around the world are and we’ve seen it happen in Denmark and England and Germany and France and Tunisia, Egypt, you know, and America. Everywhere.

“Do you want to see terrorism on our streets here? Do you want to see our Australians murdered? And if I’m so wrong and Muslims feel that way, why don’t I have them standing beside me saying, “Yes, we value the Australian way of life. We’re against Islam, against all this.” They don’t come out strong because they can’t do it.”

…Maybe because you’re trying to ban their schools and their places of worship? Oh, and you’re calling them terrorists. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

She argues ‘We are a Christian community.’

Considering Australia is a secular country, technically we’re not a Christian community. But let’s not let facts get in the way.

Hanson says, “

“We are a Christian country and that’s what I’m saying is we have never ever had any issues or problems or fear in our country from any other religion. That’s fact.”

True. There have been absolutely no issues stemming from the Christian Church ever in Australia. No problems at all. No fear. Definitely not right now.

Royal Commission into Knox Grammar sexual abuse: Peter FitzSimons retells a scandal http://t.co/LhCKgAaZNQ via @smh — #AusExit FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) February 25, 2015

I think Pauline Hanson probably isn’t across the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Maybe she’s just not into Royal Commission’s in general.

BUT WAIT. She wants a Royal Commission into Islam.

She’s shared this one before. While it doesn’t make

any

much sense to have a Royal Commission into a religion, Hanson says “I will not back away from that.”

But guys, she’s notonlybent on the whole Islam thing. She said, “I think that there are many other issues and I’m not just on about Islam.

“I’d like first a Royal Commission into the banking and finance sector.”

So vague. So, so vague.

Speaking of vague, she said her top priority was “cleaning up the Family Law Act and the child support.”

Hanson argued that she would “like to work with every member of parliament to clean up our Family Law Act and the child support (sic).”

“It disturbs me greatly to see so many fathers and women that are actually mothers who are suiciding. When I was in parliament, this was the biggest issue coming across any member of parliament’s desk and yet nothing has changed, if not it’s worse. It’s an absolute disgrace.”

This sounds like a serious issue. Although it’s not exactly clear how she plans to tackle it.

She says we’re being ‘swamped with Asians.’

You might not have noticed, but according to Hanson, Asians are a big problem.

“You go and ask a lot of people in Sydney, at Hurstville or some of the other suburbs.

Hanson has said time and time again that we're 'swamped with Asians.' Image via Getty.

"They feel they have been swamped by Asians and regardless of that now, a lot of Australians feel that Asians are buying up prime agricultural land, housing, you ask people in Melbourne how they feel about it as well."

I... I personally don't feel swamped by Asians.

Finally, she wants us all to know she'snot racist.

When asked whether her policies were racist, she responded, "

*Bangs head against wall while questioning democracy*

Clare Stephens

Contributor

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