Pauline Hanson speaking at a public press event
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson insists her recent European tour did not cost Australian taxpayers a single cent. However, she has flatly refused to reveal who actually footed the bill.
Speaking at a leadership breakfast hosted by The West Australian newspaper in Perth on Tuesday, Senator Hanson defended her overseas travels. She also doubled down on a series of inflammatory anti-immigration statements she made during the trip.
Hanson spent over a week abroad, speaking at two conservative conferences in the United Kingdom. She later traveled to Italy, attending a fashion show and relaxing poolside at a luxury hotel in Sicily with billionaire donor Gina Rinehart.
When questioned about Rinehart’s potential influence, Hanson described the mining magnate as a “very proud, patriotic Australian.” She noted that Rinehart backs One Nation because she sees her own values reflected in the party.
Hanson stated she would “not apologise” for her itinerary, which included an appearance on a podcast hosted by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a far-right anti-Islamic activist with an extensive criminal record better known as Tommy Robinson.
Defending Border Bans and Deportations
During the Tommy Robinson Show podcast, Hanson pointed to the dismantling of the White Australia Policy as the exact moment Australia’s immigration system began to fail.
She later claimed she was not pushing to reinstate the race-based policy. Instead, she argued that Australia must halt immigration from “radical Islamic countries” and “certain countries that wear the burqa.”
A journalist at Tuesday’s event pressed Hanson on whether her proposal to ban migrants from nations known to foster extremist ideologies was simply a modern White Australia Policy.
“No, it’s got nothing to do with that. Don’t go there with me,” Hanson fired back.
One Nation’s official policy statement explicitly names Gaza as a region where migrants would be barred from entering Australia. Hanson suggested she would rely on national security agencies to determine which other areas should face a total immigration ban.
Embracing Trump’s Deportation Playbook
While overseas, Hanson filmed a segment for Seven’s Spotlight program, where she enthusiastically endorsed the “concept of mass deportation.”
“Oh, I love it,” Hanson said, clarifying she specifically wants to target people living in Australia illegally.
Recent data released by the Department of Home Affairs in June indicates that a third of all visa overstayers come from China, Malaysia, and the United States.
On Tuesday, Hanson praised US President Donald Trump’s aggressive approach to mass deportations, calling it a “great way of doing it.”
“Trump said ‘OK, all those that are in the country illegally, I’ll actually give you a one-way ticket out of the country,'” she recounted. “And he said, ‘then you can apply to come back in some time later. But if you don’t go, and we find you, you will never get back in the country again.'”
Barnaby Joyce Weighs In
MP Barnaby Joyce also faced scrutiny on Monday regarding the logistics of mass deportations. He had previously suggested that illegal immigrants could be caught when seeking care from a doctor or nurse.
When asked on 7.30 if medical professionals should be required to report visa overstayers to authorities, Joyce attempted to clarify his stance.
“No Sarah, that’s ridiculous,” he said. “If they’re illegal, they’re not supposed to be in Australia, that’s why they’re termed illegal immigrants. People who are illegal immigrants should be sent home.”
Joyce argued that illegal immigrants inevitably interact with the system through health issues or parking fines, and authorities must enforce the law when they do. “Otherwise the whole thing is a farce,” he added.
Joyce was also questioned about the ethics of Rinehart potentially funding Hanson’s travel. In 2017, Joyce accepted a $40,000 cheque from the billionaire as an award for his agricultural work, only to return the money following intense criticism from Labor politicians and the National Farmers’ Federation.
He claimed he had no idea who paid for Hanson’s trip.
“I don’t occupy my day worrying about what Pauline has paid for or has not paid for,” Joyce said. “If she hasn’t paid for it, you’ll be able to see it… it will be on the declaration of interest, just like everything else is.”
Hanson has 28 days to legally declare the trip if Rinehart or any other third party covered the costs.
The Seven Network confirmed it paid for a hotel room to film Hanson’s interview, but denied paying for her flights. Hanson had released a pitch email from a Spotlight producer offering to cover airfares, though the network claimed this was just one of many emails sent over a six-month period.
Liberal Party Tensions and Coalition Rumors
Hanson’s European tour coincided with brewing political drama back in Australia. Rebel Liberal Senator Alex Antic publicly urged his party to be more “realistic” about its electoral chances, doubling down on the idea of an expanded Coalition that includes One Nation.
On Friday, Antic took to social media to praise One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts as a “clear thinker” and “decent bloke.”
Roberts is widely known for controversial statements, including calling American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones a “beacon of hope,” declaring respect for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and falsely claiming COVID-19 vaccines cause miscarriages.
Angus Taylor swiftly shut down Antic’s remarks on Monday.
“That will not be happening,” Taylor stated. “I’ll continue to make the point that One Nation is not fit to govern.”
Despite the public defiance, Liberal insiders say there is no viable way to discipline Antic. Senior figures admit that while some members want a strong response, ousting him is highly unlikely due to his “total control” over the South Australian executive through factional allies.
One Liberal source described Antic as the “master of trolling.” They speculated his public praise for One Nation and support of Roberts was designed purely to agitate moderate members of his own party.
