”The same wankers killing the Aussie larrikin spirit”: Pauline Hanson defends PM’s Trump joke

PAULINE Hanson has defended Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Midwinter Ball impersonation of Donald Trump.

PAULINE Hanson has weighed in on the controversial leaking of the Prime Minister’s Midwinter Ball speech, labelling the politicians and media having a go at him, “wankers”

In a rare, spirited defence of Malcolm Turnbull, the One Nation leader said he was just “cracking a joke” while impersonating Donald Trump.

Those politicians & press having a go at Turnbull for cracking a joke are the same wankers killing Australia's larrikin spirit -PH #auspol

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) June 16, 2017

She signed it off, “PH”, which indicates she personally wrote the tweet, not a member of her staff.

But not yet done, she also weighed in on a suggestion by government spokesman Mathias Cormann that the leak had come from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and backed up Christopher Pyne’s claims Mr Shorten’s speech at the same event was, “a stinker”.

I notice no one leaked Shorten's speech. Listening to it once was bad enough so if you have a copy do us all a favour & sit on it-PH #auspol

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) June 16, 2017

Senator Hanson’s comments came after the Opposition Leader’s office leapt to his defence when it was suggested Mr Shorten was behind the leak.

Government spokesman Mathias Cormann said Mr Shorten’s office had questions to answer over whether they were involved in the leaking of the speech in which Malcolm Turnbull impersonated and mocked Donald Trump at the off-the-record function on Wednesday night.

“Bill Shorten will have to clarify today whether it is true that his office was behind leaking those secret recordings,” Mr Cormann said on Sky News.

The Labor leader’s staff quickly responded, releasing a stinging statement that shut down Mr Cormann’s suggestion.

“This is completely wrong. Senator Cormann should apologise for this disgraceful lie.”

In a wideranging and relaxed interview on the Channel 7 Friday morning, Mr Turnbull said he was “disappointed” the speech was recorded and had been broadcast, but appeared keen to shut down concerns about his comments.

“It’s a great occasion where we send each other up, and send up ourselves,” he said. “It entertained everyone in the room, helped raised a lot of money for charity. It was a good night, everyone had a laugh.”

Mr Turnbull denied his mocking speech was an impersonation of Mr Trump, and said he’s had mixed reviews for his performance.

“I don’t demonstrate that I’m up for Saturday Night Live,” he said.

Earlier, government minister Christopher Pyne defended Mr Turnbull’s comments and took a dig at Mr Shorten’s effort while he was at it.

Mr Pyne said his boss’s speech was “very funny”.

“The reason Bill Shorten’s speech wasn’t leaked is because it was such a stinker,” he said in an appearance on Today.

“On the other hand Malcolm’s was very funny. The whole point of the Midwinter Ball speeches is to be funny, and it’s great that the Australian public have got to see a side of Malcolm that I see on a regular basis.”

Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said the PM was a ‘funny guy’, but took a dig at the Opposition Leader. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Mr Pyne said the PM was “really a very fun and funny guy”.

“I don’t think anybody is going to take this too seriously at all,” he added.

On the same program, Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese argued it was “unfortunate” that the speech had been leaked, and said ethics had been breached.

“I think it will dampen the potential for people to go along and laugh at themselves and at everyone, and both Malcolm and Bill did that,” he said.

“I don’t think it should have happened. I don’t want to see the spirits of larrikinism that is part of the definition of being an Aussie disappear. One of the things that happens when people get together is we have a joke at our expense and sometimes at the expense of others.”

Mr Albanese shared concerns the ball, which raised $350,000 for various charities on Wednesday night, could be threatened over the incident.

Mr Pyne said politicians and reporters had to “suck up the fact it’s been leaked”, but said the incident had damaged politicians’ belief that the Midwinter Ball was “somewhere they can let their hair down”.

“It’s a pity,” he said.

Get a load of this guy. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

The speech, in which Mr Turnbull mocked US President Donald Trump and cracked jokes about his alleged links to Russia, poor polling, and fake news, was never meant to leave the ballroom. Journalists and politicians who attend the event undertake a longstanding agreement that what ever happens on the night is strictly off the record — particularly the traditionally humorous speeches made by party leaders.

The controversial nature of Mr Turnbull’s jokes has attracted criticism and caught the attention of the US press, but the US Embassy indicated the nation, and its leader, had taken no offence.

“We understand that last night’s even is equivalent to our own White House Correspondent’s Dinner,” a spokeswoman said. “We take this with the good humour that was intended.”

Mr Trump himself has not commented publicly.