FORMER Cessnock councillor and likely One Nation Senator Brian Burston makes no apologies for the views he holds, including strong views about Islam as “an infringement on our culture”.
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“We live in a democracy,” he said on Tuesday after several days of what he called the “demonising” of Pauline Hanson and One Nation, and by association the thousands of Australians who supported them.
“As soon as the vote went against the major parties there’s people who should know better demonising Pauline and what she stands for. That’s an insult to the people who voted for the party,” Mr Burston said.
“As soon as it doesn’t go the way some people in power thought that it should, they look around for someone to blame rather than look at themselves and ask whether they’re the problem.
“The vote for One Nation in the Lower House is a very strong indication to the major parties that they’re not listening to a big section of the community.”
Mr Burston said there was no doubt the Williamtown contamination scandal was a major reason for the strong swing against the Liberal party in Paterson, and the high One Nation first preference vote for his twin brother, Graham.
He was put forward as a candidate “at the last minute” and with a minimal campaign, Mr Burston said.
In Salt Ash where the community has worn the brunt of the contamination fallout from Williamtown RAAF Base, One Nation recorded 161 first preference votes, while Labor polled 233 and the Liberal Party recorded 210 votes.
Brian Burston said compensation for Williamtown residents and businesses was his “number one priority” if he gains a Senate spot, as seems likely on latest figures.
“The major parties are ignoring the people affected by contamination. The Department of Defence couldn’t care less. Pauline Hanson told the people of Oakey she was going to take a bottle of contaminated water and plonk it on Malcolm Turnbull’s desk. I’ll be fighting the same for the people of Williamtown who’ve had to push and push and push but no one in power seems to care.”
Port Stephens MP Kate Washington, who has strongly backed Williamtown residents, said the contamination scandal was an issue, but both major parties needed to respect that people had voted for One Nation and understand why.
Griffith University political lecturer Paul Williams said it was a mistake to think of One Nation voters as simply racists, particularly because anti-Islam parties had not polled well on Saturday. One Nation voters were “people who just think mainstream politicans are all a bunch of crooks and aren’t listening”, he said.