One Nation leader Pauline Hanson targets Greens senator Nick McKim

Pauline Hanson lashed Greens senator Nick McKim over the weekend as caring more about “illegal immigrants” than Tasmanians, claiming he has done nothing for this state.

Pauline Hanson with Senate candidate for Tasmania Matthew Stephen running on the Pauline Hanson's One Nation party ticket. Pauline Hanson at the Salamanca Markets Hobart drumming up support for Pauline Hanson's One Nation party for the up coming federal election. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

ON her recent visit to Tasmania, Pauline Hanson lashed Greens senator Nick McKim as caring more about “illegal immigrants” than Tasmanians, claiming he has done nothing for this state.

The One Nation leader spoke as she wandered Salamanca Market on Saturday with the party’s lead senate candidate Matthew Stephen and her chief of staff James Ashby in the last stop of the trio’s tour of Tasmania.

Her conservative party came within 141 votes of Senator McKim at the 2016 federal election and she appeared confident of their chances in the May poll.

“I hope [Senator McKim] doesn’t get in,” Senator Hanson said.

It's time we stopped forcing Australian families to make criminals of themselves by using illegal, black market, medical cannabis products & joined many other countries across the globe that recognise the benefits hemp and cannabis oil has to offer sick and dying Australians. -PH pic.twitter.com/edAsVp7y7L

— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) March 6, 2019

“He’s a waste of space in parliament for Tasmania. All his speeches, all his notices of motion are about other countries and other people.

“He is more worried about illegal immigrants than what he is the people of Tasmania.”

In response, Senator McKim described Senator Hanson’s attack as “a badge of honour”.

“We are proud of our record of delivering for Tasmania’s people and environment,” Senator McKim said.

“Tasmania has for decades rejected the hatred of One Nation, and the Greens are proud to stand against them in the Senate.”

Mr Stephen moved to Tasmania in October after contesting the Longman by-election last year.

His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all born in Tasmania, and the tradie is living in Devonport with his family while he works to win a senate seat.

Mr Stephen acknowledged the controversy stirred when he ran for One Nation in Queensland about alleged underpayment of contractors — claims he dismissed on Saturday as untrue.

“The Sunday after that election there was nothing ever spoken again,” Mr Stephen said.

“There’s nothing to answer to.”

The pair listed drugs, electricity prices, milk prices, health funding and unemployment as the primary issues facing Tasmanians.

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