Barnaby Joyce backs Pauline Hanson on mass deportations but denies return of White Australia policy
Australian politician Barnaby Joyce defended Pauline Hanson's calls for mass deportations while claiming she does not support reinstating the White Australia policy. The controversy has not hurt One Nation's polling, which has improved.
Barnaby Joyce on Monday backed Pauline Hanson's endorsement of mass deportations but insisted that she and her One Nation party do not want to bring back the White Australia policy.
Hanson and her colleagues have spent days clarifying or walking back headline-grabbing parts of her Europe trip, including an interview with far-right convicted criminal Tommy Robinson, attendance at a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, and downtime by a hotel pool with mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.
On Sunday's Channel Seven Spotlight program, Hanson met with Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe, who gave her a party pamphlet titled "mass deportations." Hanson replied they were "on the same page." When asked whether she thought mass deportation was a good concept, she said: "I love it." One Nation's website states the party wants to "deport 75,000 illegal migrants."
Joyce did not back down from those comments on Monday. Though he avoided the term "mass deportations," he said on Sunrise that people who are not supposed to be in Australia will be put on a plane and sent back. When asked how to enforce such a policy, he suggested doing so when people present themselves for medical issues or other reasons.
Hanson's daughter, Lee, on Monday again claimed her mother had been taken out of context when, during the Robinson podcast, she blamed the end of the White Australia policy for creating migration problems. Lee said her mother under no way supports that policy and does not want it back.
She conceded that her mother "may not be the most eloquent person in the world." Joyce offered a similar defence, saying the abolition of the White Australia policy was a good thing but over time led to issues with people who didn't want to assimilate.
Labor minister Tanya Plibersek criticised Hanson, saying she will say anything and then stick her head in the sand when challenged.
Despite the controversy, One Nation has improved its polling position and now sits equal with Labor on primary vote in the latest Newspoll.
