One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has brought her whimpering apologia for embattled Order of Australia medallist Bettina Arndt to The Today Show, downplaying Arndt’s comments about the recent murder of Brisbane woman Hannah Clarke and her children by Clarke’s estranged husband – and suggesting “these things happen” when people are “driven” to destroy their families.
Speaking on the program this morning, Hanson backed Arndt, who has come under fire for defending the Queensland Police detective who implied investigators would investigate “both sides” of last week’s horrific murder-suicide.
After calling Rowan Baxter “treacherous” for the “horrendous” murder of his former partner and their three children, Hanson said Arndt “should not be stripped of her Order of Australia.
“She is clearly stating what she thinks and what the police officer said.”
Hanson then issued a defence of the new parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s family law system. The senator herself serves as the Deputy Chair of that inquiry, despite previously saying the system is stacked against fathers and alleging women often fabricate claims of domestic violence.
“A lot of people are driven to do these acts for one reason or another. Hopefully the Family Law Inquiry will get to the bottom of it. But don’t bastardise all men out there, all women for that matter, because these things happen,” Hanson said.
(Shot in the dark here, but I don’t think a custody battle, no matter how difficult, is a valid reason for someone to kill their ex-partner and their kids. Just a thought!)
The inquiry has faced criticism from domestic violence prevention services, who claim it will siphon vital resources from the frontline battle against the issue.
But, if you’re Hanson, the answer seems to be charging ahead regardless and backing a woman who once conducted a sympathetic interview with a convicted paedophile, who also concluded that underage girls shouldn’t “exploit their seductive powers to ruin the lives” of grown men.
On average, one women is killed each week in Australia by a current or former partner. What do you even say to that, when an official investigation into Australia’s family law system involves Hanson?
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you’d like to speak to someone about domestic violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
