Government support for Pauline Hanson's 'okay to be white' motion a blunder: Cormann

The Government has allowed another vote on Pauline Hanson’s controversial “It’s okay to be white” motion, after yesterday backing the One Nation leader, sparking a massive political and public backlash.

Today, the government voted with Labor, to defeat the resolution.

Finance Minister and Leader of the Senate, Mathias Cormann, agreed to a Labor request for a second vote as the coalition moved to clean up a major embarrassment, admitting it blundered in initially supporting the motion.

Mr Mathias Cormann took full responsibility.

The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, had earlier said the vote was “regrettable”

The Hanson motion was yesterday narrowly defeated, after Government senators backed the One Nation leader.

Mr Cormann blamed an “administrative process failure” without actually saying what went so terribly wrong.

The Government had known since last month the debate was coming, and decided to vote against it.

But confusion appeared to reign within government ranks when it came to a vote.

Some claimed Attorney-General, Christian Porter, instructed senators to back Hanson, tweeting after the vote “the Government senators’ actions in the senate this afternoon confirm the Government deplores racism of any kind.”

Mr Cormann said the government “should have opposed the motion”.

“Government senators in the chamber ended up, on advice, voting in support of the motion,” he said.

“As leader of the government in the senate I take full responsibility for that error and I’m sorry that happened.

“It is indeed regrettable. It slipped through. It shouldn’t have.”

Mr Porter released a statement, admitting a mistake in his office.

He said advice was sent on an “approach to the motion” without his knowledge.

It was, he said, interpreted as a motion opposing racism.

“The associations of the language were not picked up,” the Attorney said.

“Had it been raised with me those issues would have been identified.

“The government condemns all form of racism.”

He said processes in his office were being reviewed.

Labor moved to condemn the government when Parliament resumed, with a motion to reject the resolution.

Opposition Leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, said it was a “shameful episode”, and government senators always intended to support the motion.

“There is nothing innocent, nothing unknown about this phrase,” Ms Wong told the upper house.

“Frankly, do you really deserve to be here?

“Do they apologise? Do they seek to recommit the vote? No you doubled down. You doubled down one after another.”

Labor and the Greens said the Cormann back-down only came after a backlash.

Pauline Hanson denied it was racist, or a phrase used by white supremacists like the KKK.

“This is nothing about racism,” Mr Hanson said.

“I want to get rid of the racism that’s there. It is not a white supremacist slogan at all.

“The most demonised person in this country is the white male.”