Pauline Hanson says Peter Dutton would do an ‘excellent job’ as PM

Pauline Hanson says Peter Dutton would do an “excellent job” as PM, but if Malcolm Turnbull stays put, it works in her favour.

One Nation party leader Pauline Hanson reacts during debate in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: AAP

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says Peter Dutton would do an “excellent job” as Prime Minister, adding that the longer Malcolm Turnbull stays in the role, the more it benefits her party.

Speaking on Sky News after a day that included a failed bid by Mr Dutton to take the leadership of the Liberal Party from Mr Turnbull and seven subsequent ministerial resignations, Senator Hanson said former Home Affairs Minister Mr Dutton risks taking a “poison chalice” if he successfully wins the leadership.

“If Malcolm Turnbull stays there it helps me and it helps Bill Shorten,” she said.

“Does it benefit our country? No it doesn’t. He’s too much to the left and he’s not representing the conservative views and opinions, and that’s why there’s this conservative revolt from the backbench. A lot of them are going to lose their seats under Malcolm Turnbull.”

Senator Hanson also floated the option of returning former Prime Minister, now backbencher, Tony Abbott to the top job, saying he has learned a lot from his experience.

“I like Peter Dutton, I think he’s done a great job as Immigration Minister. I think he’s a very matured, well-managed man and I think he could handle the position of PM very well,” she said.

“He’s on the conservative side of politics and I think he’d do very well. People are saying we don’t know much about him, I think he would do an excellent job. Very measured in the way he answers questions.

“I think Peter may be taking on a poison chalice here if he takes on the position of PM … They’re going to be decimated at the next election. I don’t have a lot of faith in some of the others.

“People say ‘oh no, not Tony Abbott again’. In the situation that the government’s in now, and destined to lose the next election to Labor, astoundingly, maybe Tony Abbott would’ve been the alternative to take on this position. He’s learned a lot from his first time around. He actually is talking about conservative, new coal-fired power stations, immigration, and he’s actually speaking the language a lot of Australians want to be heard from the leader of this nation. I think Tony Abbott, if not Peter Dutton, should be given another chance at it.”