Hanson throws support behind Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in columnist dispute

Pauline Hanson has made a surprising comment about “white privilege” while throwing her support behind a fellow senator.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has weighed into the dispute between her “good friend” Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and columnist Peter FitzSimons, saying the recording of their interview should be released.

The Country Liberal Party Senator posted on social media that Mr FitzSimons was “very bloody aggressive” during their recent interview, but the Sydney Morning Herald columnist said her claims were “complete and utter … nonsense”.

Senator Hanson told Sky News on Thursday the recording should “most definitely” be released.

“Senator Price has no problem with the tape being released, and I’ve known her for a few years now and we get on very well together and we agree on so many issues to do with the Aboriginal people,” she said.

“Peter FitzSimons is like a lot of others – white privileged males … pushing their own agenda here – and you’d think that they would actually listen to this Aboriginal woman who has actually lived it.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price took to Facebook over the weekend to complain about the conduct of Nine newspaper columnist Peter FitzSimons during an interview he did on Thursday. Picture: Chris Pavlich / The Australian

“I think he sat down with this interview and he thought that he was going to get the better of her.

“She stood her ground, as she did in her fantastic maiden speech, and she delivered a voice to the people of this nation with regards to the Aboriginal issue.

“I believe that he tried to change the narrative and get her to change her mind. She didn’t. She’s firm and strong on what her message is, and I think that is in the tape.

“They’re embarrassed by this tape. That’s why they don’t want it released.”

Senator Hanson said she would stand by Senator Price “every day of the week”.

Peter FitzSimons has denied he bullied the senator.

Senator Price spoke to Steve Price for Australia Today on LiSTNR, saying an apology from Mr FitzSimons would have sufficed at the time.

She also responded to Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields, who said he had heard the interview and neither party had shouted.

“I’d like them to make the recording public and let the public decide,” Senator Price said.

“There’s no denying that he wasn’t aggressive or that he wasn’t rude, and I stand by the fact that he was.

“I just think it’s amazing that he is a protected species.

“If I had been a woman belonging to the left of politics, and I’d been treated this way by a right wing commentator, male commentator, then there’d be marches in the streets by now and they’d be pulled over the coals for it.

“An apology would have worked perfectly well, but now we’ve come to this.”