Mehreen Faruqi’s racism complaint over Pauline Hanson tweet accepted by Human Rights Commission

The Australian Human Rights Commission has accepted Mehreen Faruqi's complaint against Pauline Hanson over alleged racial discrimination and racial hatred for her incendiary "piss off back to Pakistan" tweet, with the commission to consider the issue in light of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Greens senator Faruqi said she hoped to extract an apology "at the very least" from the One Nation founder, speaking of the "immense toll" of racism on health and wellbeing.

"For too long, Senator Hanson has been allowed to perpetrate racism without any consequences. The Senate couldn't even agree to censure her last week. Enough is enough," Faruqi told Guardian Australia.

Faruqi said she had been subjected to racist hate speech from others on social media after a tweet from Hanson, who took offence over her comments about the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month. On the day of the Queen's death, Faruqi tweeted: "I cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples."

Hanson quote-tweeted that post to her own followers, replying: "Your attitude appalls and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country. You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It's clear you're not happy, so pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan."

The Greens moved a censure motion against Hanson in the Senate last week, but amendments from Labor and the Coalition leaders saw Hanson's name and her comments removed from the motion, instead replaced with a general call for respectful debate.

In her own speech on the motion, Hanson refused to retract her tweet and doubled down by saying she would "take [Faruqi] to the airport". Greens senator Jordon Steele-John branded Hanson a "scumbag" for that remark.

Faruqi referred the issue to the Australian Human Rights Commission, alleging racial hatred and discrimination. Guardian Australia understands the AHRC has accepted the complaint, and will approach Hanson to discuss a potential conciliation process.

It's understood the AHRC may examine the complaint with reference to sections 9, 18C and 18E of the Racial Discrimination Act. Section 9 makes racial discrimination unlawful; section 18C makes it unlawful for someone to commit an act likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person based on race; while section 18E relates to vicarious liability and acts carried out by an employee or agent of a person.

Hanson declined to comment on any dealings with the AHRC, but a spokesperson told Guardian Australia "any Australian citizen who considers Senator Faruqi's comments to be offensive should lodge their own complaint with the Human Rights Commission".

Faruqi said she wanted to see Hanson face consequences for her tweet.

"I'm pursuing a racial discrimination complaint because racism takes an immense toll on our health and wellbeing, and those responsible for inflicting this harm must be held to account," she said.

"At the very least, I want a public apology and a retraction from Senator Hanson, acknowledging the harm her words have caused, not only to me but to the many migrants across this country who have been told to 'go back where they came from' throughout their lives here."

"Since Senator Hanson's attack on me, I have been heartened by hundreds of messages of support, many from people who have faced the sear of racism and want to see discrimination called out, held to account and eradicated."

The Australian Human Rights Commission declined to comment. It's understood Hanson's response to the AHRC's correspondence will determine the next stage in the process.