Labor MP Cathy O’Toole has condemned Pauline Hanson’s views on Muslim immigration, saying Australia’s response to people with different ethnic backgrounds was too often to “smack them in the face with hatred and bigotry”.

O’Toole made the comments on a controversial episode of the ABC’s Q&A program, which also featured MPs Bob Katter and the LNP’s George Christensen, as well as former Greens senator Larissa Waters.

The choice of panellists caused comment when it was announced, and further questions were raised when the ABC tweeted that “white Australia” was one of the topics that the audience might like to discuss on the program.

Kumi Taguchi | 田口久実 (@kumitaguchi) White Australia is not a topic to me. It's a horrid reminder of childhood. I can't stomach this tonight. pic.twitter.com/HwkR3g1lLU

An audience member asking Katter how he could support crossbench senator Fraser Anning’s widely condemned White Australia speech, given his own family’s Lebanese heritage.

Katter questioned whether Anning’s speech advocated a white Australia policy, drawing a rebuke from host Tony Jones, who said: “He said it was a bipartisan policy for a solely European-based immigration, supported by Labor leaders. He was talking about the white Australia policy.”

ABC Q&A (@QandA) Senator @RealBobKatter, your own grandfather, a Lebanese immigrant, would not have been allowed to migrate to Australia with your current beliefs. Please explain? @PaulineHansonOz also responds #QandA pic.twitter.com/2L9HagIvPM

Hanson, who condemned the speech, called for a moratorium on Muslim immigration. “Muslims have a different ideology and belief and assimilating into our society,” she said. “I’m not saying all Muslims.”

It was a suggestion that drew sharp criticism from O’Toole and Waters.

Fraser Anning speech 'straight from Goebbels' handbook', says Pauline Hanson Read more

“I have worked with people from different ethnic backgrounds in the mental health space and the trauma and the torture that they have experienced to get to this country where they thought they were going to be accepted,” O’Toole said. “They are so grateful to be here and what do we do? Smack them in the face with hatred and bigotry. It’s not good enough. We are better than that.”

Waters said: “I think it’s abominable people would use fear and division to further their own political careers. They should be ashamed of themselves.”



On other topics, Christensen said he would cross the floor to support legislation to extend the banking royal commission, saying the inquiry had exposed “too many lies and falsifications and fabrications by the banks”.



“It might not come to that. I’ve written to the commissioner asking him to consider [extending it] and spelling out a brief of evidence as to why he should do that,” he told the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night, broadcast from Mackay, 950km north of Brisbane.

O’Toole agreed the commission “absolutely needs to be extended”.

“I have numerous people coming into my office who have had absolutely horrific things done to them through the banking and financing sector,” she said. “Without a doubt, this royal commission needs to be done thoroughly and properly and people who have been treated very, very poorly and have lost everything need the opportunity to have their voice heard.”

When the panel was questioned about energy policy and the impact of the proposed Adani mine on the Great Barrier Reef, Christensen reiterated his support for coal-fired power, saying it was needed in the mix to bring power prices down and ensure baseload-power reliability.

O’Toole said it was a “myth” that coal-fired power was cheaper. It was dismal that Queensland was not taking advantage of opportunities in renewable energy, she said.

ABC Q&A (@QandA) How can you justify going ahead with the proposed Adani coal mine? @GChristensenMP @larissawaters @PaulineHansonOz respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/4qWTqfXghw

“Queensland is in probably the most enviable position in the country where we have the youngest coal-fired power stations,” she said. “[Prime minister] Scott Morrison has said that coal-fired power is not cheap. It is a bit of a myth. They know our future is renewable energy but they haven’t got a plan to do anything about addressing energy sources or costs in this country and it is a disgrace.”

Pressed on Labor’s position on the Adani mine, she said: “It’s not government’s business to get involved in telling business what they can and can’t do. We have legislation and they must meet it. Then they must get their own finances.”

Waters said that Adani was not going to provide Australians with jobs, contrary to comments made by Katter.

“They have said they want to automate from pit to port,” she said. “They are false jobs claims. I think it is cruel to be espousing there’s somehow going to be jobs created in a region that’s crying out for them. They’re fake jobs.

“Half the reef has been bleached thanks to climate change and have great potential for eco-tourism jobs, we have a knowledge economy and infrastructure that the country should be investing in. Unfortunately, they have completely sold out to the coal industry.”