Everyone Who Matters (So, Not One Nation) Wants To Strip Bettina Arndt Of Her Order Of Australia

The Senate has passed a motion calling for Bettina Arndt to be stripped of her Order of Australia for comments she made about Hannah Clarke’s murder.

Senators Penny Wong and Kristina Keneally put forward the motion this afternoon, which was passed by every Senator except those in One Nation.

The motion condemned her comments as “reckless and abhorrent” and said it has the potential to bring the Order of Australia into disrepute.

“The values that underpin Ms Arndt’s views on this horrific family violence incident are not consistent with her retaining her Order of Australia,” they wrote.

The motion from @SenatorWong & me calling Bettina Arndt's comments as reckless & abhorrent has passed the @AuSenate with Govt support. The values that underpin Ms Arndt’s views about a horrific family violence incident are not consistent with her retaining her Order of Australia. pic.twitter.com/LAEl1hikc5

— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) February 25, 2020

Bettina became a Member of the Order of Australia in January for her “significant service to the community as a social commentator, and to gender equity through advocacy for men”.

Apparently, in Bettina’s mind, advocating for men means asking whether a woman who was burnt alive by her husband had actually driven him to murder her.

…and explanations when women stab their partners to death, or drive their children into dams but immediately judging a man in these circumstances as simply representing the evil violence that is in all men. https://t.co/gCMCn1kma1

— Bettina Arndt (@thebettinaarndt) February 20, 2020

Every single Senator except for two — Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts — supported Labor’s motion. In response, Greens Senator Larissa Waters has asked for Hanson to be removed from her family law inquiry.

Pauline Hanson & One Nation the lone voices defending the atrocious victim blaming comments of Bettina Arndt. Yet more reason she is not appropriate to be the Deputy Chair of the Family Law Inquiry. I’ve written to my fellow Fam Law Committee members today asking for her removal.

— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) February 25, 2020

Of course, just because the Senate agrees she should lose the honour doesn’t mean she will — they don’t have that power. However, yesterday the Governor-General’s office confirmed they had referred complaints about her to the Council for the Order of Australia for review.

The council will make a recommendation to the Governor-General, who can then make a decision.

They are also still refusing to reveal who nominated Bettina for one of Australia’s top honours.

Council of the Order of Australia, under the Governor General, rejected my FOI on docs about Bettina Arndt's honour. I knew I'd probably get this decision but just wanted it on the record. pic.twitter.com/cTNS4YuT33

— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) February 24, 2020

There’s been a growing push for Bettina to be stripped of her award since she made the comments on Friday.

Earlier today Senator Keneally told a doorstop there was no excuse for what happened to Hannah Clarke and her children.

“And there is nothing plain and simple about using your position with an Order of Australia to spread comments that could be seen to be inciting violence, that seem to be condoning violence,” she said.

Bettina’s most recent comments may have put the nail in her coffin, but people have been calling for her to lose the award ever since she received it. People were outraged that one of Australia’s highest honours was given to a woman who has called efforts to prevent sexual assault in universities a “scare campaign“, publicly supported a convicted paedophile, and spreads the idea that “false accusations of violence (are) used to ruin men’s lives“.