Australia is “in danger of being swamped by Muslims” resulting in its people “living under Sharia law” unless the country radically changes its immigration policy, a newly-elected Senator has said.

Pauline Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, used her maiden speech in the Australian Senate to claim Islam has a “hyper-masculine culture” that is incompatible with Australian society, and that migrants who had already arrived and not “assimilated” should “go back from where you came from.”

“If it would be of any help, I’ll take you to the airport and wave you goodbye with sincere best wishes,” she added.

In a speech that provoked Green senators to walk out, Ms Hanson also claimed there was no way of distinguishing between “good” and “bad” Muslims.

“Our leaders continue to tell us to be tolerant and to embrace the good Muslims,” she said.

“But how should we tell the difference? There is no sign saying ‘good Muslim’ or ‘bad Muslim’. How many lives will be lost or destroyed trying to determine who is good and who is bad?”

Pauline Hanson is a former member of the centre-right Liberal Party who founded One Nation as an anti-establishment group to pursue her old party from the right.

In 2003 she was imprisoned after being convicted of fraud, but was released after 11 weeks when her conviction was overturned on appeal.

The party achieved its best ever results in this year’s elections, with four members elected to the Federal Senate. The sudden rise in popularity was seen as a rebuke to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who ousted conservative Tony Abbott in an internal party coup last year.

The Australian Herald Sun wrote after her speech yesterday: