Pauline Hanson has confirmed she will examine a High Court appeal after the Full Federal Court today dismissed her bid to overturn a finding that she breached section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

The ruling leaves intact Justice Angus Stewart’s November 2024 decision that Hanson’s September 2022 X post telling Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi to “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan” was “seriously offensive” and constituted a “strong form of racism.”

Hanson said she was disappointed by the outcome.

I am disappointed that the Federal Court has rejected my appeal relating to the claim against me by the Greens’ Senator Faruqi.
 
My legal team and I will now closely review the decision in the coming days, with a view to commencing an appeal in the High Court of Australia.… pic.twitter.com/bpfXCP6I7w

— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) July 27, 2026

“We all need to have the courage – and the freedom – to say what we think on issues that are important to us all. Some of those views may not be what certain people would like to hear, but that doesn’t mean that they are not valid views, and it certainly doesn’t mean that people should be prevented from having a voice on topics which are critical to our country’s future.”

Her legal team will review the judgment over the coming days before deciding whether to lodge an appeal in the High Court.

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The dispute began the day Queen Elizabeth II died. Faruqi posted that she could not mourn “the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples.” Hanson replied that Faruqi had taken every advantage of Australia after immigrating, and told her to leave if she was so unhappy.

Hanson said she acted out of genuine anger at the disrespect shown to the late Queen and Australia’s institutions.

“I was incensed by the incredible disrespect that I felt was shown to our late Queen on the day of her death by Senator Faruqi and others. I simply wanted to call that out.”

She argued the case goes to the heart of free speech in Australia. Laws that silence people for fear of causing offence or “distress,” she said, have already weakened public debate and respect for the nation’s institutions and head of state.

“If people in Australia are scared or forbidden to freely express themselves, then those values are eroded. I am here to fight for all Australians to ensure that such a dark day never comes.”

A High Court challenge, if pursued, would test the balance between political communication and the restrictions imposed by section 18C.