Politics

Pauline Hanson tells ‘couch potatoes on the dole’ to help flood-affected farmers

Feb 19, 2019

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for "coach potatoes" on welfare to help struggling farmers in Far North Queensland. Source: Twitter/ Pauline Hanson

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has issued some words of advice for “couch potatoes” on welfare payments, telling them to get up and help support the farmers currently struggling in northern Queensland following the one-in-500-year floods that devastated the region.

Standing in the small town of Julia Creek, which was hit hard by the extreme rainfall, the 64-year-old Senator sent a stern message to the people of Australia, claiming those in receipt of benefits should be making the most of their time by lending a helping hand.

In a video shared on Twitter, Hanson targeted those Aussies who receive welfare, saying instead of “sitting around doing absolutely nothing”, they should give back to the community, specifically taxpayers.

“I’ll say to those couch potatoes out there, you people that have actually been getting your welfare dole cheques, sitting around doing absolutely nothing, maybe you just might want to register and try to get up here,” the politician exclaimed.

“Get in touch with local councils, give up your time to actually help these people mend their fences.”

pic.twitter.com/sIbpkjcUEx

— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) February 19, 2019

Hanson went on to say that the farmers, – some of whom who have lost the majority of their cattle – need hardworking people to assist them with the massive clean-up. She claimed it’s a chance for people on benefits to give back to others in their time of need.

“They don’t want people to stand around doing absolutely nothing, if you’re going to be useless, but people who will actually genuinely thank them for paying their taxes over the years and return that and maybe it will do you some good,” she added.

“Get up from behind your computers, your hames, your playstations and watching TV all day long and give back to the community that have been supporting you.”

During her passionate speech Hanson also shed light on the situation in towns such as Julia Creek explaining that hundreds of people are suffering due to a reduction in cash flow into the region. Admitting it’s not going to be an easy fix, the controversial politician claimed the allocated funding, promised by the Coalition, may not be enough for some farmers whose properties were ripped apart during the floods, calling for more action needs to be taken to support these Australian workers.

“The $75,000 per pastoralist, per property owner is not going to even touch the sides, even with the fencing at $3,000 an acre to fence,” she said.

“Being here has opened my eyes and I’ll be talking to the minister with regards to this and the prime minister. We have to look at maybe increasing the funding for some of the huge properties. It’s enormous, they haven’t got the man power.”

Her comments follow the release of heartbreaking photographs from a distressed farmer of her dead and dying cattle following the devastating floods.

Posting the haunting images to Facebook last week, Rae Stretton, from Mount Isa in Queensland’s north-west, wrote: “This is the cold hard truth of what my family at Eddington Station — 20km West of Julia Creek, Qld — and a heap of other families in North West Queensland are dealing with right now.

“From drought to floods to losing stock on a massive scale… the stock that haven’t died from flood water and cold weather have had to be humanely put down.”

She added: “Where is the help from the Government now. Hurry Government and give the Defence Force the go ahead to help these people out – they’re the best in the world for these scenarios.”