Pauline Hanson, Queensland’s representative in Australia’s senate, is worried about a new development in her country. To cater to the 20 per cent of the workforce that is from a non-English speaking background, an Australian taxation office in Melbourne has introduced Indian-style Western toilets.
An official told the Herald Sun, “We are committed to maintaining an inclusive workplace that engages, informs and supports all our employees, whatever their background. This commitment includes building designs with a range of facilities that cater for the different needs of our employees.”
Why is that a problem for Hanson?
The question she poses is “if they can’t work out how to use a westernised toilet, how are they expected to work out our tax system?” Eh? “I know what is more confusing then using our toilets, it is doing our tax.”
But she’s worried not just about the competence of employees who cannot use Australian toilets, but also about what it will do to her nation. When asked by someone how many tax dollars would be spent on such an initiative, Hanson’s official Facebook page responded, “It’s not just a matter of dollars, Wade. It starts with toilets and ends with costing us our Australian way of life.”
The Australian Multicultural Foundation Chairman Hass Delal slammed Hanson, saying, “Considering there are so many things happening in the world, so many bigger issues, I don’t know why so many people are concerned about a couple of squat toilets in a couple of buildings. There’s enough scientific evidence in what I can see and what I read to show that squatting is the best position for effective evacuation of the bladder and the bowel.”
An article in The Conversation argues likewise, “While it’s difficult to draw definitive conclusions given the lack of long term-studies, squatting has clear benefits. If you have a regular toilet and would like to obtain some of the benefits of squatting, you can use a modified toilet seat and foot stool, which allows you to flex your hips and elevate your feet.”
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