Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party accused of plagiarising policies from Wikipedia, anti-Islam groups and others
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party has allegedly plagiarised its policies from online sources. It appears large chunks of texts from the minor political party’s policies have been lifted from anti-Islam organisations, a climate change denier group and even from Wikipedia.
As Junkee first reported, One Nation’s policies on halal certification, the United Nations Agenda 21 conspiracy and medical marijuana were lifted word for word from different sources.
For its policy on halal certification, the first two paragraphs appear to have been plagiarised from US right-wing online magazine Frontpage, which was published in 2013. Another section from One Nation’s halal certificate article appears to be lifted from Q Society of Australia’s website.
Reddit user LucasTheGoat also noted that a large portion of One Nation’s policy on medicinal cannabis had been taken from Wikipedia. While it took technical explanation of the topic verbatim from the free online encyclopaedia, the party left out Wikipedia’s sceptical approach.
Climate change blogger Graham Readfearn thinks that climate science denialist Malcolm Roberts could be behind One Nation’s climate policy because the Galileo Movement, of which Roberts is the project manager, and the Australian party’s text on the subject are exactly the same. Although the Galileo Movement has 12 point-solution and One Nation has 14, the latter added Australian-specific passages on its policy, calling for the review of CSIRO to ensure accountability.
One Nation’s policy on Agenda 21 was also apparently taken from The John Birch Society 2011 pamphlet. The initiative is a non-binding implemented action plan of the United Nations on sustainable development. Australia is a signatory to it.
“Imagine if the government was purposefully rationing the use of electricity, water, petrol and natural gas, and that the enactment of these policies came from your local government’s committee or department of sustainability? Well it is happening in hundreds of cities and towns all across the United States,” the text on the JBS pamphlet reads.
“These local government boards will decide how much energy, water, and other natural resources your home is allowed to use, limiting your ability to wash your dishes, take a shower or bath, flush the toilet, and drink a glass of water – regardless of the size of your household or how many children you have.”
Hanson, who has strong controversial stance against multiculturalism and Islam, founded One Nation in 1997 after being kicked out of the Liberal Party. She has been elected to the Senate in the recent Australian election.
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