The Australian Federal Police have received reports of a crime relating to Pauline Hanson's recent comments about Muslims, escalating a political firestorm around the One Nation leader's rhetoric.
The AFP confirmed it has "received reports of a crime" in relation to statements made by Hanson, according to The Guardian. The investigation follows complaints about inflammatory remarks the senator made during recent parliamentary debates.
While the AFP declined to provide details about the specific nature of the complaints, the reports likely relate to potential breaches of racial vilification laws, which prohibit speech that threatens, intimidates, or incites hatred against people based on race or religion.
Hanson has a long history of controversial statements about Muslims and immigration. In 2017, she faced censure from the Senate after wearing a burqa in Parliament. More recently, she lost a defamation case brought by Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi over a tweet telling her to "piss off back to Pakistan."
The investigation comes at a sensitive time for Australia's Muslim community, which has faced increased scrutiny and discrimination amid global tensions. Community leaders have long called for stronger action against political figures who use inflammatory rhetoric.
Legal experts note that successful prosecutions under racial vilification laws are rare and require a high threshold of proof. The laws must balance free speech protections with the need to prevent incitement to hatred.
Opposition leaders declined to comment on the ongoing police matter, though several government MPs have previously criticized Hanson's rhetoric as divisive and harmful.
Mate, this isn't the first time Hanson's comments have crossed the line. But an AFP investigation? That's a different level entirely. We'll see if this is just political theatre or if there's genuine substance to the complaints.
