Election success for Australia’s far-right fans fears of economic fallout in Asia

MELBOURNE–The stunning return to parliament of an anti-immigration firebrand who once warned of Australia being “swamped by Asians” has prompted concern for the future of the country’s deep economic ties to Asia.

Pauline Hanson, who became famous for her 1996 parliamentary speech railing against multiculturalism, will enter the Senate following a federal election on July 2 that has guaranteed her a place in the legislature for the first time since 1998. While ballots will continue to be counted for up to several weeks, Hanson’s One Nation party is on course for its best-ever election result at the federal level. After entering the election with no national representation, the party is likely to emerge from the final count with three or more seats in Australia’s upper house.

With center-right Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull only managing a narrow win for his Liberal Party-led coalition government, One Nation, which argues for zero net immigration and the establishment of a special commission into Islam, could enjoy kingmaker status in the deeply fractured Senate. The prospect of the far-right party wielding such influence over the national agenda has raised fears of major damage to Australia’s reputation overseas.

http://atimes.com/2016/07/election-success-for-australias-far-right-fans-fears-of-economic-fallout-in-asia/