“The Family First party clearly believes that families don’t come first if they are Muslim, African or Asian families,” Senator Bartlett said. 

“This sort of prejudice and ignorance repeatedly expressed by Pauline Hanson is incredibly damaging to our social fabric, as well as incredibly hurtful to Muslim Australians. “It should be unequivocally opposed, not rewarded with preferences.”  

“Family First in Queensland is directing their Senate preferences to Pauline Hanson after the Coalition, but ahead of all the other realistic contenders. 

Pauline Hanson has directed her preferences to Family First ahead of all other serious contenders. Five of the Democrats’ twenty-nine House of Representatives candidates in Queensland are Muslim Australians. 

“If the swing away from the Coalition is as big as some polls predict there is a real chance that Family First’s Senate preferences would then flow to Pauline Hanson should she outpoll them as opinion polls predict. 

“Combined with favourable preference allocations from a range of smaller groups like the Shooters Party, two different Fishing Parties, the non-Custodial Parents Party, One Nation, the LDP, the Carers Party and some independents, there is no doubt Pauline Hanson is now a credible chance if she gains a reasonable primary vote herself.  

Senator Bartlett, whose seat is being targeted by Ms Hanson, says the Senate preference tickets once again showed voters would be best served numbering their own preferences below the line in the Senate.  

“There are some surprising decisions by a range of parties. For example, the Greens have preferenced the pro-gun, pro-nuclear, pro-privatisation Liberty & Democracy Party ahead of the Democrats,” Senator Bartlett said.

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