Broadcaster Jessica Rowe has deleted an episode of her podcast, ‘The Big Talk Show’, following criticism of her most recent episode featuring Senator Pauline Hanson.
Sharing the episode on Wednesday, Rowe wrote, “My latest podcast guest is @PaulineHansonOz. She talks love, raising kids and why she keeps going.” The response was swift, with many people wondering why Rowe would have someone with Hanson’s history of racism on her podcast.
Writer and actor Nakkiah Lui wrote, “Jess, I have a lot of respect for you but this is not it. You’re platforming a racist. You’re celebrating someone who has made a career/$$$ from degrading, disrespecting and dehumanising many people. If you’re not interrogating them, you’re validating those racist opinions.”
Rowe responded to Lui, saying, “Nakkiah, that is not my intention at all. I have interrogated Pauline many times over the years. And I make it clear in the podcast I don’t support her views. And I’m sorry if that is how it comes across.”
Activist and Australian of the Year Grace Tame wrote, “This is how discrimination and hate is subtly enabled and normalised. Everyone’s entitled to their own views, but not all views should be valorised by promoting their source. Pauline doesn’t need help to be heard, but those whose oppression she’s both driven and reinforced do.”
Rowe also responded to Tame, writing, “I don’t support Pauline Hanson- I never have. It was not my intention to normalize her views which we don’t talk about in the podcast. I’ve had many disagreements with her which are on the record. Kindness is at heart of who I am & it would never be my intention to spread hate.”
Eventually, after hours of ongoing criticism, Rowe posted a statement late on Wednesday night saying that she had listened to the comments she’d received and had asked LISTNR to remove the episode. She added that this would “be the start of a bigger conversation for me and with those this topic directly affects.”
Hanson complained about the decision on Facebook, decrying ‘cancel culture’ and ‘keyboard warriors’. She also shared an email she claimed was from Rowe’s producer, which read, “I wanted to let you know that beyond today we wont be able to publish Pauline’s episode with Jess Rowe. We’ve spoken with Jess and her manager tonight who have decided they want to remove the episode. I apologise for any inconvenience.”
Pauline Hanson co-founded One Nation in 1997 after being disendorsed by the Liberal Party, but was defeated in the 1998 federal election after serving as the Member for Oxley for two years. She was elected to Federal Parliament again in 2016 as a Senator for Queensland, and is notorious for her racist views, particularly against immigrants.
Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
This article first appeared on Over60.