Those rumours of Hanson’s transformation have been exaggerated
Give or take the odd exception, the One Nation leader has been a model of consistency.
Pauline Hanson in her maiden speech to the Senate on September 14 last year:
We are in danger of being swamped by Muslims, who bear a culture and ideology that is incompatible with our own.
Industry Minister Arthur Sinodinos on ABC’s Insiders on February 13:
The One Nation of today is a very different beast to what it was 20 years ago — they are a lot more sophisticated.
Hanson in her maiden speech to parliament in 1996:
I believe we are in danger of being swamped by Asians … They have their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not assimilate.
Hanson reflecting on Insiders on March 5:
I think my policies haven’t changed over the years.
Malcolm Turnbull pondering One Nation on February 13:
It is a substantial crossbench party in the Senate and it is taking a policy position on a wide range of issues. It is not a single-issue party or a single-personality party.
Hanson on Thursday:
I have my own hashtag. You won’t need to be praying for this place or that place. It’s this. It’s #Pray4MuslimBan. That is how you solve the problem. Put a ban on it and then let’s deal with the issues here.
Turnbull with Neil Mitchell on Melbourne’s 3AW yesterday:
Demonising the Muslim community or attributing to all Muslims responsibility for the crimes of a tiny percentage is exactly what the terrorists want … So what you do, if you turn on Muslims, if you were to be seen to be anti-Muslim in that way, that is precisely what the terrorists would like the Australian government and the Australian community at large to do. It would help their work. You know, if you were talking to Duncan Lewis, the director-general of ASIO, or Andrew Colvin, chief commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, or Graham Ashton in Victoria, they would tell you exactly the same thing.
Mitchell: That is true. Have you attempted to explain this, or will you attempt to get this through to Pauline Hanson? Because on what you’re saying, what she’s doing is dangerous.
Turnbull: I have made this point, in pretty much those terms, essentially precisely those terms to Senator Hanson in the past.
Mitchell: Is what she’s doing dangerous?
Turnbull: Well, inciting hatred against any member or any part of the Australian community is always dangerous. It undermines the mutual respect that we have in our community.
News.com.au on March 9:
Senator Hanson publicly apologised on Channel Seven’s Sunrise program this morning for urging parents to get their children tested before they vaccinated them. The One Nation leader said she was “sorry” and admitted she was wrong.
Hanson yesterday:
We have a disease, we vaccinate ourself against it. Islam is a disease, we need to vaccinate ourselves against that.
Barnaby Joyce’s response to Hanson yesterday:
This bat poo crazy stuff doesn’t help anyone.
Australian idol. Josh Frydenberg reaching deep into the scriptures during federal parliamentary question time on Thursday:
I thank the member for Petrie for his question and acknowledge his deep concern for the rising electricity prices in his electorate, including the businesses on the Redcliffe Peninsula, including the Golden Ox … While the Golden Ox is being kicked for having higher electricity prices, those on the other side are praying to their golden calf — the 50 per cent renewable energy target.