Senator Hanson has refused to take down a Please Explain cartoon that calls veteran Andrew Hastie a traitor no less than eight times. Photo: Andrew Hastie Facebook.
Pauline Hanson might be a divisive figure in Australian politics, but she succeeded in uniting Federal Parliament against her this week over her extraordinary attacks on Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie.
One Nation wants his federal seat of Canning in Western Australia and the fight is becoming increasingly personal.
But the gripe party’s leader has, for many, crossed a clear line in depicting the SAS veteran as a traitor.
Senator Hanson point-blank refused to take down a satirical Please Explain online cartoon that calls Mr Hastie a traitor no less than eight times.
The outrage is palpable.
She called him what?
It all stems from Hastie having given evidence against Ben Roberts-Smith in his failed defamation case.
Roberts-Smith has since been charged with war crimes, but he has the support of billionaire Gina Rinehart, who is also a Hanson backer.
Hastie is pretty good at standing up for himself, and he immediately called both Hanson and her lieutenant Barnaby Joyce “lying cowards” over the slur.
“I won’t stand by while my name is slandered by One Nation, or my family’s name is slandered, while veterans who are struggling with moral trauma and thousands of other ADF service members are also slandered by connection with this,” he said.
Barnaby distanced himself from the cartoon, saying he had respect for Hastie and his military service and would never call him a coward.
But Hastie is not letting it go.
“Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce are trashing my service record; they called me a traitor to my own country,” he said.
“But it’s not just about me; it’s about other veterans. Are they saying the same thing of the other 26 combat veterans who gave evidence under oath in the federal court? Are they also traitors to their country?
“I’m calling on Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce to own this cartoon.
“Step into the house or outside the house, I don’t really care, use parliamentary privilege or don’t, explain why I and other veterans and indeed serving members of the ADF who think war crimes are wrong are traitors to their country.”
One Nation’s leader in WA, Rod Caddies, has also distanced himself from the cartoon, saying he didn’t think it was funny and he wouldn’t call Hastie a traitor – and besides, “I hardly speak to Pauline” anyway.
It is in the Federal Parliament, however, where Hanson has received a basting for her treatment of Hastie.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor called on Hanson to remove the offensive cartoon video.
“Andrew Hastie has served this country with distinction as an officer in the SAS,” he said.
“She should take it down.”
Former SAS Captain Andrew Hastie served two tours in Afghanistan. Photo: Andrew Hastie.
Nationals leader Matt Canavan described Hanson’s description of Hastie as “contemptible”.
“It was the lowest of low political acts, particularly from people who haven’t served themselves or haven’t faced action themselves,” Senator Canavan said.
“This is a matter now for One Nation. The ball is in their court. I don’t think it’s decent and honourable to post content like that.
“I think the decent and honourable thing now, particularly given Andrew’s legitimate response, is to take that video down.”
Shadow defence minister James Paterson described Hastie as a “patriot”, adding there was “no graver insult” for a veteran to be called a traitor.
“Andrew Hastie is not a traitor, he’s a patriot,” Senator Paterson said on Thursday (10 September).
And Labor agrees. Energy Minister Chris Bowen shared his views on the issue.
“He served his country in a war zone,” the minister said.
“That should be honoured, and not pilloried.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Friday morning: “Andrew Hastie is most definitely not a traitor. I know Andrew well, and I’ve said this publicly before, I very much must honour the service that Andrew Hastie has given to our country wearing our nation’s uniform. And I think to use that word in respect of a veteran is extremely tasteless.”
The fiercest attack, however, came from independent Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, herself a veteran.
She called Hanson an “angry little woman”, a “bloody coward” and a “maggot” for calling Hastie a traitor.
“What she’s doing in those cartoons is absolutely disgusting. They are full of bloody violence,” Lambie said.
“But attacking Andrew Hastie, a veteran who has served in our Afghanistan war, or any other veteran, is the lowest ebb you can possibly do. That woman is nothing less than a bloody coward.
“I tell you what, you’re seeing her true colours start to shine now. You watch this, the Australian people. Here comes coward Hanson.
“And any veteran out there thinking about voting for One Nation or standing for them, I tell you what, you had better think twice.”
The Returned Services League of Australia has also expressed disgust at Hanson’s actions, issuing a statement to say the One Nation leader’s insult was a slur on every veteran’s service.
“The recent comments from Senator Hanson towards Andrew Hastie MP go beyond political disagreement,” the RSL said.
“This may have begun as a political dispute between Senator Hanson and Mr Hastie; however, when a person’s military service is used as the punchline, when the word ‘traitor’ is thrown at someone who has worn the uniform and deployed on operations, that stops being politics and starts being an attack on every veteran’s service.”
Hanson’s gutter move might have actually done Hastie a favour in one regard, if it serves to build public sentiment towards him and shore up his support in Canning enough to ward off One Nation at the next federal election.
One can only hope.
