Pauline Hanson abused by Aboriginal elder at art show

Newly elected Queensland senator Pauline Hanson isn’t a stranger to controversy, but when the politician rocked up to the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair on July 16 she was subject to a bombardment of verbal abuse and criticism.

Aboriginal elder — and a controversial figure in his own right — Murrandoo Yanner was quick to inform Hanson she was not welcome at the event.

“Now you are kicking the Muslims around, you are just a racist redneck with red hair,” Yanner yelled at her.

“Go away — go back to Ipswich and your fish and chip shop.

“You are intellectually dishonest and you are not welcome here.”

Not usually one to shy away from confrontation, that Hanson and her team walked away from the event.

There has been support of Yanner’s behaviour towards the politician, with some on social media saying:

While others have condemned the Aboriginal activist.

One person said, “I’m no fan of Pauline’s politics, but goading someone out of a public event like this, while abusing them for being redneck with red hair is not OK in my books. Wouldn’t it have been better to have let her attend and have the chance to learn something, either from the exhibition or from talking to the people there?”

What do you think? Should Pauline Hanson have been chased away from the event? Or was the elder justified in his response towards her?