National

Hanson has voters riled up but no answers, Liberals say

Jun 18, 2026

Angus Taylor and Pauline Hanson — Angus Taylor says Pauline Hanson's speech failed to answer questions about her party's policies. -AAP Image

Pauline Hanson has tapped into voter anger but has no credible plans for change, the opposition leader says.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The One Nation leader's address to the National Press Club has prompted fierce debate after she took aim at radical Islam, transgender ideology, media outlets that she claimed treated her unfairly and other institutions.

Lagging in the polls behind One Nation, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said he would not join Senator Hanson in judging people "based on the colour of their skin or their race".

The career politician's speech left questions unanswered, Mr Taylor said.

"I judge people on their character and their conduct ... if she wants to judge people based on the colour of their skin or their race, One Nation needs to explain that," he told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

"Migration in this country has been too high and the standards have been too low, and that must change.

"But what we favour is a values-based immigration policy where people who come to this country adopt our core values, and that is regardless of race or religion or where they come from."

In her address on Wednesday, Senator Hanson rejected accusations One Nation is a racist party and said it was common sense to oppose what she described as the "failed policy of multiculturalism".

One Nation has said migrants would still be free to speak their own languages at home if it were to win government, but they would need to be Australians first and put their ethnicity or creed second.

"I understand people are angry. I really get this," Mr Taylor said.

"But what we need in a response to that is a credible plan, and we didn't get that yesterday."

Senator Hanson on Thursday walked back plans by One Nation to boost defence spending to five per cent of GDP.

Such an increase would cost an estimated $400 billion over four years, but Senator Hanson said a lift in military spending to 3.5 per cent instead was still needed.

"We need to increase over a period of time. It really concerns me now," she told a forum in Townsville.

The federal government has pledged to lift spending to three per cent by 2033, with the figure including military pensions and veteran support.

The One Nation leader is also making hay out of a stunt that interrupted her National Press Club speech, declaring she "quite liked" a left-wing campaign group's depiction of her in pixelated meme sunglasses.

GetUp! has claimed responsibility for a banner that unfurled during Senator Hanson's debut address on Wednesday, accusing the One Nation leader of accepting a $100,000 pay rise while opposing wage increases for workers.

The stunt was counterproductive, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

The National Press Club apologised to Senator Hanson and said two people entered the venue on Tuesday afternoon to install a drop-down screen without permission.

Senator Hanson claimed someone "on the inside" might have given GetUp! access to install the banner, but the club said none of its staff or contractors had any involvement.

ACT Policing confirmed it received a complaint about the "alleged unauthorised access and interference with equipment" and said federal police were investigating.