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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (7 May) . . Page.. 1011 ..

(Quorum formed)

MR SPEAKER (Mr Cornwell) took the chair and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

MR WOOD (10.33): Mr Speaker, I move:

That this Assembly rejects the views expressed in Pauline Hanson's publication, the so-called "One Nation" (Pauline Hanson - The Truth). We assert the strength of Australia as a diverse and tolerant nation seeking reconciliation with its Aboriginal and Islander citizens.

Late last year this Assembly unanimously supported a motion proposed by the Chief Minister which was a positive expression in support of multiculturalism and reconciliation; it was a motion supportive of an open and tolerant society. But I think the time has come to be more direct and to aim our criticism specifically at Pauline Hanson. That earlier motion made no reference to that Federal member. I think it is time that we did so.

This motion that I move is in response to the book which has recently been published, with, I understand, a run of only 1,000 copies, and which is now difficult to get, not simply because - - -

Mr Moore: I think there were about 950 too many.

MR WOOD: That would be right. It is now difficult to get, not simply because of the low number published, but because there appears to be some hesitancy on the part of the publishers to reprint it and to make it available. I have read it, and other members have had the opportunity to read it, courtesy of a copy from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library. I suppose there is some element of truth in that book, and that element is only the truth revealed of Pauline Hanson and of her backers. It is a strange book. It is a book which includes a number of articles, speeches and the like by Pauline Hanson and a further series of articles by unnamed backers. But, clearly, since it displays Pauline Hanson on the cover and is about Pauline Hanson, it has her support. It is pseudoacademic in its approach and in the articles by people unnamed, other than Pauline Hanson. I believe the views expressed by Pauline Hanson and by persons with no depth of knowledge and no wisdom are views of resentments and prejudices.

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