Key facts
- Pauline Hanson blamed the end of the White Australia policy for current migration issues.
Australian politician Pauline Hanson, speaking on a podcast hosted by British activist Tommy Robinson, blamed the end of the White Australia policy for current migration issues and suggested her daughter, Lee Hanson, is the future leader of her party, One Nation.
Pauline Hanson's remarks on immigration and her party's future leadership signal ongoing debates about multiculturalism and national identity in Australia, while her association with a controversial British activist draws criticism and highlights her political positioning.
Pauline Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, has stated that the end of the White Australia policy has led to problems with migration. Speaking on the podcast of far-right British activist Tommy Robinson, Hanson also made unsubstantiated claims about Muslim communities exploiting the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Health Minister Mark Butler rejected Hanson's claims, stating he had not been provided with any figures to support them and expressed reluctance to respond to a podcast featuring Robinson, who has a history of criminal convictions. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been disavowed by mainstream British political figures.
Hanson attributed Australia's changing immigration landscape to the dismantling of the White Australia policy, contrasting it with post-World War II European migrants who she said integrated more successfully. She also spoke positively about her daughter, Lee Hanson, suggesting she has the potential to lead One Nation, though she emphasized that leadership must be earned and not based on nepotism.
Lee Hanson holds a taxpayer-funded role as a senior adviser and is the party's national executive manager, spearheading its expansion in Tasmania. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young criticized Pauline Hanson's interview, calling it "appalling" and "un-Australian" for associating with Robinson and criticizing multiculturalism.
Hanson's visit to the UK also includes an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Her chief adviser claimed the interview with Robinson was arranged by Channel Seven for a current affairs program.