Pauline Hanson was elected to the House of Representatives electorate of Oxley at the March 1996 election.

Hanson was disendorsed by the Liberal Party during the election campaign because of comments she made about Australian Aborigines. Because of the timing of the dis-endorsement, she appeared on the ballot paper as a Liberal candidate.

Oxley was a traditionally safe Labor electorate in Queensland, centred on Ipswich. Labor’s Les Scott held Oxley with a two-party-preferred margin of 14.65%. Hanson secured a swing of 19.31% and won the seat with a majority of 4.66%.

Hanson’s maiden speech to the House on September 10 caused a storm of controversy because of its criticisms of Aboriginals, multiculturalism and immigration. [Read more…]