Courier-Mail editorial, 12th July 1999
Comment: The Courier-Mail's litany of lies and deception continue unabated. In a week in which
the best that this bunch of intellectual prostitutes operating under the Murdoch tyranny can come up with is an editorial denigrating the messenger.
Just yesterday Ms Hanson told a gathering at Wynnum: The Courier-Mail have put up a ban on One Nation. My office's press releases and those of our Queensland Parliamentarians never get covered. They will only cover us if they have got something negative to say.
Quite clearly the Murdoch/Packer empires are in a state of fright as the Australian people come to their senses and now start to seek out why and how they have been misled.
Examples of denigrating statements from the editorial below include:
"Ms Hanson's simplistic, ill-informed arguments provided a target for those looking to blame someone for their own lot in life." - a classic often repeated line by the Courier-Mail.
"Although Ms Hanson repeatedly whipped up hysteria by appealing to the populist notions, the ensuing debate allowed a number of urban myths, many of which she espoused, to be rebutted by facts." - another classic distortion of the truth.
"A detrimental side of Ms Hanson's politics was the fanning of intolerance." - stet
"For a democratic society to remain robust, free speech is essential." - another great lie. we have no freedom of speech in this country. Opinion is manipulated by the concentrated media who ban or denigrate anything that challenges their immoral position in our society.
Courier-Mail editorial starts:
The Pauline Hanson phenomenon has led to a number of unexpected consequences. One of the most surprising is the turn around in Queensland's attitude to multiculturalism. Although Queensland has often been criticised for perceived intolerance, a recent survey shows Queenslanders are now embracing multiculturalism. The AustraliaSCAN research reveals that over the past four years Queenslanders have become more accepting to ethnic communities than people living in other states.
Ms Hanson rose to notoriety by tapping into the concerns of many disenfranchised Australians who felt betrayed by the major political parties. Her opposition to political correctness, immigrants, multiculturalism and welfare struck a chord with many people, particularly the working poor. Ms Hanson's simplistic, ill-informed arguments provided a target for those looking to blame someone for their own lot in life. However, the backlash against One Nation and Ms Hanson's anti-immigration agenda has triggered an about face on multicultural issues. AustraliaSCAN chairman David Chalke said he believed most of Ms Hanson's popularity was not based on her beliefs, but a disaffection from the Keating government's political correctness. For a while Ms Hanson gave a voice to the many Queenslanders who felt excluded from discussion about the future of this nation. She raised subjects which were largely considered taboo under the Keating government.
For a democratic society to remain robust, free speech is essential. Although Ms Hanson repeatedly whipped up hysteria by appealing to the populist notions, the ensuing debate allowed a number of urban myths, many of which she espoused, to be rebutted by facts. Regardless of how objectionable some might have found Ms Hanson's opinions, she spoke for a number of Australians. The danger was always that if Ms Hanson or One Nation had been forced into silence those for whom she spoke would only have felt more disenfranchised. Prime Minister John Howard was right to protect Ms Hanson's right to free speech when she first emerged. However, it would have been more beneficial if he had spoken out earlier to expose the factual inaccuracies of her remarks.
A detrimental side of Ms Hanson's politics was the fanning of intolerance. However, a positive aspect was that it also sparked debate. And the survey shows the ultimate result of their debate was to produce a more aware and accepting society in Queensland.