Fraser Anning

Senator
Fraser Anning
Leader of Katter's Australian Party
in the Senate
Assumed office
4 June 2018
Leader Bob Katter
Preceded by Office established
Senator for Queensland
Assumed office
10 November 2017
Preceded by Malcolm Roberts
Personal details
Born William Fraser Anning
(1949-10-14) 14 October 1949
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party Katter's Australian (since 2018)
Other political
affiliations		 One Nation (1997–2003; 2014–2018)
Independent (until 1997; 2018)
Spouse(s) Fiona Anning
Residence Gladstone, Queensland, Australia
Alma mater University of Queensland, Gatton Campus
Occupation Hotel owner
(Self-employed)
Sheep and Cattle farmer
(Self-employed)
Profession Grazier
Businessman
Politician
Military service
Allegiance Commonweath of Australia
Service/branch Australian Army Reserve
Years of service 1969–1973
Unit 49th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment

William Fraser Anning (born 14 October 1949) is an Australian politician who has been a Senator for Queensland since 10 November 2017.[1] He was elected to the Senate after a special recount was triggered by the removal of One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, who was found ineligible to be chosen as a senator due to his citizenship status. He chose not to join One Nation in the Senate, sitting as an independent until June 2018 when he joined Katter's Australian Party as its first senator.

Early life

According to a biography removed from the One Nation website, Anning grew up in north-west Queensland in a family of graziers. He and his wife own a number of hotels and live in Gladstone. In 1998, he stood as a One Nation candidate for the lower house division of Fairfax at that year's federal election.[2]

Political career

Anning was third on the One Nation ticket in Queensland at the 2016 federal election. He gained just 19 first-preference votes under the optional preferential voting system to select twelve senators from Queensland.[3] Prior to his appointment to the Senate, he was facing bankruptcy legal action due to money owed to the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank which could have made him ineligible, but the case was withdrawn.[1]

Upon his swearing in to the Senate on 13 November 2017, Anning was vouched for (a parliamentary custom indicating that the new member is who he claims to be[4]) by two crossbenchers from other parties: Cory Bernardi (Australian Conservatives) and David Leyonhjelm (Liberal Democrats).[5] One Nation leader Pauline Hanson subsequently issued a media release saying that Anning had "abandoned" the party to sit as an independent "until something else comes along".[6] Anning responded that "she [Hanson] made my position pretty much untenable with her conditions."[7] On 16 November, it was reported that neither Anning nor Hanson had formally made their intentions clear to the Senate chamber regarding his party status, and he therefore remained a One Nation senator in the eyes of the Senate. It was also unclear whether Hanson intended to expel Anning solely from the parliamentary group or the wider organisational party as well.[8] On 15 January 2018, Anning advised the Senate President that he would henceforth sit as an independent.[9] On 5 February 2018, he formed a voting bloc with Bernardi and Leyonhjelm.[10]

He is a public opponent of same sex marriage, and was one of twelve senators who voted against the 2017 bill.[11] In 2017, when Cory Bernardi moved a motion opposing Medicare funding of gender-selective abortion, Anning was one of ten MPs who voted for the motion, which was defeated with 36 votes against.[12][13] On 22 March 2018, Anning announced that he would support the Turnbull Government's proposed company tax cuts.[14][15]

On 4 June 2018, Anning joined Katter's Australian Party, becoming the party's first senator.[16]

Anning introduced a private members' bill calling for less stringent import laws for mace, pepper spray and tasers, to allow women to defend themselves. It was supported by David Leyonhjelm, Peter Georgiou, Cory Bernardi and Brian Burston, but rejected by both major parties and the Greens.[17]

Controversy

Maiden speech

On 14 August 2018, Anning delivered his maiden speech to the Senate in what was described by journalist Michael Koziol as "the most inflammatory maiden speech to an Australian Parliament since One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's in 1996."[18] In it, he called for a plebiscite to reintroduce racial and religious discrimination in immigration policy, especially with regard to excluding Muslims. He criticised "cultural Marxism", "safe schools and gender fluidity garbage" and the "abuse" of the external affairs power of the Australian constitution. He also spoke in support of the right of civilians to own firearms, and the Bradfield Scheme irrigation proposal.[19]

His most controversial comment included a reference to a "final solution", a term infamously used by the Nazi Party during preparation and execution of the Holocaust during World War II.[20] Anning has claimed his comments were taken out of context, saying that he had used the phrase to introduce the last of six policies he proposed about immigration. His comments received condemnation from across parliament, including the Labor, the Liberals, the Nationals, the Greens, One Nation and the Centre Alliance, among other crossbenchers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. He has refused to apologise for his comments.[21] Pauline Hanson said she was appalled by Anning's comments and described them as "straight from Goebbels' handbook".[22] However, Anning's party leader Bob Katter described it as "a magnificent speech, solid gold" and said he "1000 percent supports" Anning.[23]

Opinions on LGBT

In September 2018 he called the Safe Schools programme "disgusting garbage" and said: “Fifty years ago, if a communist pervert had proposed that our nation’s children be forced to listen to sexually deviant propaganda, they would probably have been strung up[...]In critical theory, ethnic and religious minorities, radical feminists, sexual deviants, Third World immigrants and antisocial criminals could take the place of the proletariat to create a post-communist revolution, deconstructing traditional values and the white family[...]The ridiculous lie that gender is variable or fluid would be laughable if its intent were not so sinister". After his time in the Senate was up, Anning went on to post more on Twitter, writing, “The real goal of the Safe Schools Commo perverts is absolutely nothing to do with safety in schools or compassion. Safe schools is a dangerous and degenerate program.” [24][25]

Facebook

In September 2018, Anning's Facebook page was "unpublished" (removed), after one of his posts was reported for hate speech. In a tweet, Anning said "Free speech is under attack [...] this is completely unacceptable and we will fight this."[26][27]

References

  1. 1 2 Remeikis, Amy (27 September 2017). "One Nation's next-in-line senator mired in legal proceedings since April 2016". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Who is Fraser Anning: Queensland publican takes Malcolm Roberts' Senate spot". ABC News. 7 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. ↑ Gartrell, Adam (26 September 2017). "Fraser Anning got just 19 votes last year. He could be Australia's next senator". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  4. ↑ https://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05%20About%20Parliament/52%20Sen/524%20Research%20and%20education/Other%20Publications/swearing-in_annemieke_jongsma.pdf?la=en
  5. ↑ https://www.popsugar.com.au/news/Pauline-Hanson-One-Nation-Senator-Quits-44252187
  6. ↑ "Hanson says newest senator Fraser Anning has abandoned One Nation". ABC News. 13 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  7. ↑ Gartrell, Adam (13 November 2017). "'She made the decision': Inside the shock collapse of One Nation's Senate bloc". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Rosie (16 November 2017). "Fraser Anning still sitting as a One Nation senator". The Australian. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "Senator confirms split with One Nation". sbs.com.au. Archived from the original on 2018-01-15.
  10. ↑ "Cory Bernardi forms right-wing alliance with David Leyonhjelm and Fraser Anning". 9news.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  11. ↑ "Senate passes same-sex marriage bill". News.com.au. News Limited. 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Australian Senate vote not passed, 16th Nov 2017, 12:15 PM". They Vote For You. Archived from the original on 5 March 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "From croissants to communism: Bernardi uses Senate motions to make ideological points". Abc.net.au. 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 8 December 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "One Nation to back company tax cuts in exchange for funding for 1,000 apprentices". Abc.net.au. 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  15. ↑ "How a 'small army of Bradburys' could hand Turnbull a company tax cut". Abc.net.au. 23 March 2018. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  16. ↑ "Former One Nation senator joins Katter's party, predicts messy end for Hanson's Senate bloc". ABC News. 2018-06-04. Archived from the original on 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  17. ↑ AAP (28 June 2018). "Leyonhjelm tells senator to 'stop shagging men' during women's safety debate". the Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  18. ↑ Koziol, Michael (2018-08-14). "Senator honours White Australia Policy in first speech and calls for 'final solution' on immigration". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  19. ↑ "Senate [Part 1] - 14/08/2018 11:54:59 – Parliament of Australia". parlview.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  20. ↑ Graham, Ben; Farr, Malcolm (15 August 2018). "'While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims,' Senator Anning said". News.com.au. news.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  21. ↑ Fernando, Gavin (15 August 2018). "Why the term 'Final Solution' sparked such a fierce backlash". News.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  22. ↑ "Fraser Anning speech 'straight from Goebbels' handbook', says Pauline Hanson". The Guardian Australia. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  23. ↑ "Bob Katter defends 'magnificent' Anning speech despite criticism". SBS News. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  24. ↑ "Senator Fraser Anning Slammed For Homophobic Rant | QNews Magazine". QNews Magazine.
  25. ↑ "Safe schools garbage being peddled in schools is cultural Marxism of the first order". Scorching Hot News. 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  26. ↑ "Fraser Anning's public Facebook page removed for reported hate speech". ABC News. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  27. ↑ "Queensland senator Fraser Anning banned from Facebook". The Australian. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
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