By Josh Anderson
Students across the country are now firmly challenging Pauline Hanson and her One Nation Party.
The National Union of Students has branded Hanson’s party as “racist far right-wing”, claiming polices are imbedded in a “racist sentiment”.
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Student Union President Neeve Nagle summarised the current student consensus.
“She’s incredibly racist, but if you just look on a tertiary level, what matters to students, it’s the kind of lines she’s running about international students and education,” said Nagle.
“It’s important to show that students are in opposition to her, her comments, opinions and policies around around higher education.”
Hanson believes that “socialist teachers” are influencing students.
“Schools should teach young Australians how to think, not what to think,” said the One Nation Leader.
The online magazine Redflag, which is published by Socialist Alternative, states that young Australians are indeed shifting towards Socialism.
The rising cost of housing and inflation has seen young Australians favouring more socialist ideals, according to the magazine.
Student Union Education officer at UTS Ella Haid feels it is important to have a left-wing opposition to Hanson’s party.
“The far right wants to intimidate ordinary people, workers, immigrants etc, so I think it’s important to have a left-wing opposition, quite confidently on university grounds” said Haid.
“We are anti-racist, we welcome migrants into this country and stand against the far right,” she said.
Hansons’s opposition to the Fee-Free TAFE legislation is something the National Student Union has also continued to highlight.
The Union believes this is an attempt to make education “unaffordable” and sees students rejecting Hanson’s idea to fund private RTOs over public education.
Nagle noted the large number of international students at UTS and says they will also be affected by proposed education and immigration policies.
“It is important that international students feel safe and that students on their campuses don’t agree with the racist sentiment,” she said.
One Nation has continually rejected accusations of racism, claiming that the party’s policies fight for the younger generation.
One Nation’s South Australian state leader Cory Bernardi has also attacked “socialist influence”.
“Left-socialist cliques continue to radicalise students with false narratives about the party,” Bernadi said
One Nations’s immigration policy has vowed to end “The Student Visa Loophole” describing international study as “a back door to permanent residency and low-wage labour”.
Haid was confident that students would continue to protest Hanson in future.
Featured image: Signs and posters at the University Technology Sydney protest, led by the Student Union. Photos: Josh Anderson