Pauline Hanson faces backlash over Aboriginal DNA call

Ken Wyatt is facing calls to remove Pauline Hanson from his cross-party working group on indigenous issues after she made offensive comments calling for First Nations people to be subject to DNA tests. The One Nation leader has been accused of making comments that are “deliberately divisive” after she argued people who identified as Aboriginal should be made to take DNA tests to qualify for “focused government support”. Immunology scientists have said that the ability to test DNA for Aboriginal genealogy does not exist. It comes as the cross-party working group had its first meeting in Canberra last night which Senator Hanson took part in. Formed by Mr Wyatt, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the group includes Labor shadow minister for indigenous Australians Linda Burney, WA senator Matt O’Sullivan and WA Greens senator Rachel Siewert. A key role of the group will be to provide feedback on the proposed indigenous voice to Parliament and constitutional recognition. When asked what her view on these issues were, Senator Hanson said: “I’m sick of the do-gooders jumping on this bandwagon and making the issue more divisive that it should be. “Too many people claim Aboriginal status because of some distant link just because they want easy handouts from the Government — some of them are blue-eyed with blond hair. “I support DNA testing for those who claim to be indigenous, and they must achieve at least 25 per cent Aboriginality to qualify for focused government support, which must also be based on need, not race.” Ms Burney said Senator Hanson’s attitudes “belong in the past”. “Leadership is about bringing people together and not driving them apart,” she said. “Australian does not need comments which are deliberate, calculated and designed to grab headlines.” Senior Indigenous Research Fellow at Curtin University Dr Hannah McGlade said given her history of divisive comments Senator Hanson should be removed from the group. “It is offensive to have a person who has been so derogatory to Aboriginal people (as part of the group), her history has been very disrespectful,” Dr McGlade said. Dr Tom Calma, who is co-chair of the senior advisory group which is leading consultations on the voice, said Senator Hanson should be made to explain what undeserving “handouts” she believed Aboriginal people were receiving from the Government. He said her comments were “antiquated”, but it was up to the Federal Government who they wanted in their parliamentary working group. “She should be made to explain what special favours she believes Aboriginal people are getting...It’s part of the mythology that Aboriginal people get a lot of freebies and it’s just not true,” Dr Calma said.