One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has sent shockwaves through the Australian political landscape by publicly demanding the execution of Kathleen Folbigg, a woman previously pardoned and released after being convicted of killing her four children.
In an incendiary interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, the controversial senator declared Folbigg should be 'hanged' for her crimes, vehemently reigniting the national debate on capital punishment.
'String Her Up': Hanson's Fiery On-Air Outburst
Ms Hanson did not mince her words during the radio appearance. When asked by host Kyle Sandilands if Folbigg deserved the death penalty, the senator's response was immediate and brutal.
"Absolutely. Hang her," she stated. "String her up. I'd bring the death penalty in for this. This is premeditated murder. She killed her four children, for God's sake."
Her comments stand in stark opposition to the official pardon granted to Folbigg in 2023. After serving two decades in prison, Folbigg was released following an inquiry that found "reasonable doubt" regarding her guilt, prompted by new scientific evidence suggesting the children may have died from natural genetic causes.
A Controversial Figure Doubles Down
This is not the first time Senator Hanson has advocated for the return of the death penalty in Australia. A long-standing and highly divisive part of her political platform, she has consistently argued for its application in cases of "premeditated, cold-blooded murder."
Her latest outburst demonstrates a firm disregard for the judicial review process and the scientific advancements that led to Folbigg's pardon. Hanson dismissed the new evidence, insisting the original jury's guilty verdict was sufficient justification for execution.
Australia's Enduring Death Penalty Debate
Capital punishment was abolished across Australia in 1985, and there is little mainstream political appetite for its return. Hanson's comments are likely to be met with widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum.
However, they also highlight the deep and emotional divisions that cases like Folbigg's can create within the public consciousness, pitting raw emotion and a desire for vengeance against legal process and evolving scientific understanding.
The interview has ensured that the difficult questions of justice, punishment, and forgiveness will remain at the forefront of national conversation, fuelled by one of the country's most outspoken political figures.
