‘Can she hear the hypocrisy alarm bells?’ Greens senator and feminist champion Sarah Hanson-Young is slammed for helping a friend who slapped his wife avoid conviction
- Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young’s friend admitted to slapping his wife
- The senator wrote him a glowing character reference to dodge conviction
- Ms Hanson-Young was accused of hypocrisy but has stood by reference
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has been accused of hypocrisy for supporting her friend who slapped his wife despite her opposition to violence against women.
Ms Hanson-Young’s friend pleaded guilty to pushing his wife onto the sofa and hitting her ‘with an open hand on the left side of the face’ during a drunken argument on 23 December.
But after Ms Hanson-Young gave him a glowing character reference on Thursday, the man was let off with a good behaviour order and no conviction.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young (pictured) has been accused of hypocrisy for supporting her friend who slapped his wife despite her opposition to violence against women
The 38-year-old senator, who has long campaigned against violence against women, has been accused of hypocrisy by voters and women’s campaigners.
Twitter user Alan Green wrote: ‘How could Sarah Hanson-Young not hear the Giant Hypocrisy Alarm Bells going off?’
Another added sarcastically: ‘Domestic violence is wrong. Except if your friend is a Greens senator.’
In a statement on Friday, the senator stood by her character reference.
She said: ‘I was shocked and appalled by the man’s behaviour. He was right to own up to it and plead guilty.
‘I was asked to give a character reference with the support of both parties to help the family move on with their lives.
‘I stand by my reference that his criminal conduct – which he admitted – is inconsistent with his good character.
Ms Hanson-Young’s friend pleaded guilty to pushing his wife onto the sofa. Pictured: Ms Hanson-Young
‘I do not and have never condoned or excused domestic violence, any suggestion otherwise is absurd. In the interest of the family concerned and their privacy, I don’t intend to make any further comments.’
In her character statement, Ms Hanson-Young told the court in Canberra: ‘I do not know the precise details of the incident, but I can confirm I have never seen, nor heard of, any behaviour by [him] that is remotely violent or otherwise aggressive,’ she told the court.
‘[He] is now back loving in the family home and things are going well, he has told me. I understand that he [and his partner] have reconciled but I do not know any details.
‘Obviously [he] has told me that he has no intention of reoffending in the future, and given of what I know of his character, I am confident that no re-offense will occur.
‘As someone who works in politics, I understand what reputation means in public life. In my view, a criminal conviction would have a severe and unwarranted impact on his reputation and consequently on his work.’
Ms Hanson-Young, 38, became a South Australian senator in 2007 aged 25 and has been a vocal campaigner for women’s rights and anti-violence.