Australia’s Senate has narrowly defeated a motion condemning “anti-white racism”, by just three votes.
Pauline Hanson, the leader of Australia’s far-right One Nation party, wanted backing for her motion which stated “it is OK to be white”.
It also spoke of the “deplorable rise of anti-white racism and attacks on Western civilisation”.
Critics have dismissed it as another stunt by Ms Hanson, who last year hit the headlines for wearing a burka.
Yet a number of ruling party politicians backed the motion.
Among the 23 people who voted in favour was Australia’s first parliamentarian of black African descent, Kenyan-born Lucy Gichuhi of the governing coalition.
Others in government who supported the motion were the Deputy Senate Leader and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and Deputy National leader Bridget McKenzie.
