Pauline Hanson has reaffirmed her dislike for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, standing by comments she made three decades ago despite acknowledging that Australia and its laws have changed.
THIS ARTICLE AT A GLANCE
- Pauline Hanson told News24 she still does not like the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
- Hanson said personal sexuality should be kept “behind closed doors”
- The One Nation leader acknowledged gay marriage is legal but called Mardi Gras her “personal opinion”
- Hanson has never attended a Mardi Gras event and does not intend to
- One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce said the party is “not homophobic” but would not attend Mardi Gras
- Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO James Matheson invited Hanson to attend the event
- One Nation removed Parminder Singh’s profile after he called homosexuality a “mental illness”
Pauline Hanson Still Doesn’t Like Mardi Gras, Says Sexuality Should Stay ‘Behind Closed Doors’
The One Nation leader made the remarks during an interview on News24’s Sunday Agenda program, days after the party attempted to distance itself from homophobic comments made by former Western Australian candidate Parminder Singh.
“I still don’t like the gay Mardi Gras, but that’s my opinion,” Hanson said. “Have I ever been to one? No. Do I intend to go? No, I don’t.”
Hanson said she believes personal sexuality should be kept private.
“I think your own personal sexuality should be kept behind closed doors. It’s no one’s business to do it out there with the gay Mardi Gras anywhere.”
The comments echo Hanson’s infamous 1996 interview with 60 Minutes, when she said she did not like Mardi Gras because it promoted something “not natural”. Three decades later, Hanson acknowledged the economic benefit of the pride parade and said it was “acceptable” that Australia had legalised gay marriage.
“I know it brings a lot of tourists to the country. I know it brings a lot of money. I know all this, but that’s my personal opinion. But anyway, good luck to them that they want to do that.”
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras chief executive James Matheson rejected Hanson’s suggestion LGBTQIA+ people should live “behind closed doors” and invited the One Nation leader to attend the event.
“Mardi Gras is a party, a protest and a promise, so people don’t have to live behind closed doors,” Matheson said.
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce told Sunrise on Monday that the party is “not homophobic” but would not attend Mardi Gras.
“Everybody’s trying to make us as a pack of homophobes, which we’re not. It’s just ridiculous. And we’re not racist, we’re not homophobes, but we always get these tropes thrown at us.”“You can absolutely bet I would not go to the Mardi Gras. But that’s my business, and we just want you to live your own life.”
Hanson’s comments come after One Nation removed Singh’s profile from its website following backlash over his claim that homosexuality is a “mental illness”. Singh later apologised, saying he was repeating something he had heard on social media.
