‘Unashamed nationalist’: Pauline Hanson calls for ‘monoculture’ in Australia
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The news: One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson has described herself as an “unashamed nationalist” and called for a “monoculture” in Australia, in a speech also claiming a “transgender insurgency” has infiltrated Australian institutions.
The context: Delivering an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Hanson pledged to withdraw Australia from the United Nations, but on potential complications said: “We’ll see what happens at the time”.
The speech was her first appearance at the venue in a three-decade political career, and came as polls suggested One Nation is on course to supplant the Coalition as Australia’s official Opposition.
Hanson launched an immediate attack on multiculturalism, which she framed as “utterly flawed”, and Islam, the faith of over one million Australians, as a “political movement”.
“We cannot be a multicultural society. We are a multiracial society, but we must be monocultural. Australians must live under the one cultural umbrella,” Hanson said.
Some of the facts Hanson used to criticise migration rates, including that Australia’s population had already surpassed 28 million people, were accurate.
But others, including citing the 2021 census’ findings on the languages used in Australian households, were more questionable.
“How can you generate social cohesion if people can’t speak the language?” she asked.
The census found a language other than English was the primary language in 23% of Australian homes, not that those residents were unable to speak English.
Hanson also pledged to sack sex discrimination commissioner Anna Cody and Human Rights Commission president Hugh de Kretser, who she claimed were beholden to a “transgender insurgency”.
“This transgender movement is a militant force … Only One Nation will provide the strenuous opposition that is needed,” she said.
Hanson also repeatedly framed herself as an ally of workers, but was pressed on her votes on industrial relations — including opposing minimum wage increases and the Labor government’s Same Job, Same Pay laws.
Hanson said she had spoken to business owners who complained “you can’t sack people these days”.
“[Workers] are on their phones, they don’t work, they don’t turn up, they actually are lazy, and businesses are tied to it,” she said.
“[Bosses have] had enough, they want change.”
Hanson also repeatedly took aim at the media, claiming her party had been unfairly reported on and insisting reporters do not have “the license to pile on”.
Hanson said a One Nation government would abolish SBS entirely, while the ABC would be subscription-only in cities but remain in regional and rural areas.
She did not commit to allowing all media to follow her party, which barred the ABC and The Guardian during the Farrer by-election, on the election campaign trail.
“If you want to keep bashing me around, I don’t forget. I’m like a bloody old elephant,” she said.
Hanson also defended her party’s opposition to abortion, but declined to reveal details on what limits One Nation would apply, saying only: “It’s a discussion that needs to be held with the Australian people, but to abort a baby the day before birth is abhorrent and disgusting”.
Australian mothers can currently only access late-term abortions if their lives are in danger, an exemption Hanson said she would “most definitely” retain.
The speech was briefly interrupted when protestors draped a banner over the wall behind Hanson, reading “I opposed a pay rise for workers, while I took a $100,000 pay rise for myself”.
The banner was removed by Press Club employees, who apologised to Hanson.
What they said: “AI should not be left entirely to self-regulation, public trust is essential for widespread adoption,” said Hanson, on the rise of AI.
“One Nation will put in place mechanisms if not to entirely protect jobs … to get everything through this.”
The source: Pauline Hanson National Press Club address
