Australian Federal Police have confirmed they have received reports of a crime in relation to comments made by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson about Muslims. The AFP said it was aware of the remarks made during a Sky News interview earlier this week but declined to comment further on whether a criminal investigation has been launched, stating that more information would be provided at an appropriate time.
Bilal El-Hayek, mayor of Canterbury Bankstown in western Sydney, where over 23% of residents are Muslim, has called for charges to be brought against Hanson. He described her comments as “highly inflammatory” and said they would “incite someone”. El-Hayek referenced hate speech laws that prohibit public incitement of hatred and violence.
The controversy follows a series of threatening letters sent to Lakemba Mosque, one of Australia's largest, including a third letter received on Wednesday ahead of Ramadan. New South Wales police are investigating, and a man has been charged over an earlier letter sent in January.
Hanson has not withdrawn her remarks, though she has offered a conditional apology. In a Facebook post, she accused the Labor party and the left of “gaslighting the Australian public” and warned of issues seen in Europe and the UK. She was jailed in 2003 for electoral fraud but later acquitted on appeal.
Legal experts note that hate speech prosecutions are difficult to prove under NSW laws, which criminalise public threats or incitement of violence based on religion. Professor Simon Rice of the University of Sydney said the mayor was right to call for police scrutiny, but laying charges is a separate matter. Alternatives include civil complaints under federal anti-discrimination laws.
Hanson's comments have drawn widespread criticism, including from One Nation colleague Barnaby Joyce, who said he believed there are “Muslims who are very good people”. Federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor also disagreed with her remarks.
