Live: Hanson tells far-right podcast she laments end of White Australia policy

The One Nation leader sits down for a podcast conversation with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Follow live. Follow all the updates in our live blog. Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 9:09amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 9:09amButler defends PM's broken promise not to attend Garma FestivalHealth Minister Mark Butler has defended the prime minister's decision to break a promise and not to attend the Garma Festival this weekend.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised last year to attend every Garma Festival as prime minister.But speaking to Channel Seven, Butler says he's gone to the festival more than any other leader of a political party."He's been there every year since he became leader. He's off to the Northern Territory again in coming days to visit another festival," he says."But these are really hard commitments for prime ministers to be able to make, all of the commitments that prime ministers are asked of."Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 9:04amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 9:04amMark Butler says govt will be looking closely at Laos response to methanol poisoningOfficials in Laos are expected to outline the conclusion of their investigation into the mass methanol poisoning incident.Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, died after a mass methanol poisoning incident at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng in November 2024.The ABC understands officials could seek to charge those allegedly responsible with two offences that collectively carry up to one year in jail, and a maximum fine of $1,600.Bianca's father says he is "disgusted" over the inadequacy of the charges expected to be laid against the people allegedly responsible.Acting Foreign Minister Mark Butler says the news is "devastating" for the families and all Australians.He says there will be a press conference with Laos authorities later today and the government will be listening to it closely."We'll have more to say about this when we understand fully what is said in the press conference later today," Butler says.Asked if the government would consider amending its aid to Laos, Butler says, "We'll look at all those things."Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:47amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:47amJoyce doesn't have a problem with Hanson's comments on daughter's future in ONAs we reported earlier, Pauline Hanson told Tommy Robinson that she thought her daughter Lee Hanson was the "future" and had the potential to lead One Nation in the future.In the podcast released early this morning, Hanson also said her daughter would have to earn the trust of the party and people.Speaking to Channel Nine, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce says he thinks that's entirely reasonable and doesn't have any problems with it."Lee's a good lady and she's a mate of mine and I've got no problems with this. You want the very best to lead your party to make sure you've got the best opportunity to get ahead," Joyce says."Everything that Pauline said there is factually correct. You've got to be supported by your colleagues, you've got to be supported by the Australian people and if you can tick those two boxes, yeah, you should be the leader."Joyce has rejected that there are cracks emerging in the relationship with Hanson, and says they are "great mates" and have a constructive relationship.Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:40amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:40amBarnaby Joyce says he suspects Rinehart supported Hanson's trip to Italy a 'fair bit'One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has defended Pauline Hanson's trip to Italy with Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart.Hanson was spotted holidaying at a luxury hotel in the Italian town of Taormina in Sicily withRinehart.Asked what the One Nation leader was doing with the billionaire, Joyce says, "I don't know, it's a holiday, isn't it?""I don't care if it's Dolce Gabbana or Prada, as long as you're paying for it, darling, I don't care," Joyce says.But asked on Channel Nine if the billionaire funded Hanson's trip to Italy, Joyce says he suspects Rinehart would have supported it a "fair bit"."It's her money, it's her time, it's school holidays, if they've taken some time off to go to a resort, good on them," he says.So will she declare the trip with Rinehart paid for the trip? Joyce says he expects Hanson will if she has to.Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:31amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:31amWho is Tommy Robinson and why is he considered controversial?Far-right extremist Tommy Robinson is considered one of the most divisive anti-immigration voices in the United Kingdom.He co-founded the now-defunct English Defence League, an anti-Islamic protest organisation.Robinson, born Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, is a far-right, anti-Islam, anti-migration activist who has been a feature of British political life for more than a decade.He has been convicted of contempt of court, using a false passport, fraud, assault, and has served time in jail.Robinson was also a member of the extreme-right British National Party.His latest podcast series premiered in June, featuring interviews with American and European right-wing political commentators and activists.And, for some more Australian context, Karl Stefanovic lost his job as host of Today after hosting Robinson on his own podcast and expressing his admiration for the far-right figure.Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:29amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:29amHanson boasts about not getting COVID-19 vaccine, says Sky News gives her a 'good run'One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she won't give up and that she's optimistic about the future of Australia.In concluding her podcast appearance, Hanson says she wants to make a difference and help keep government out of peoples' lives."If I'm going on the way to glory, Australia's going to be a glory too because it's going to be a different Australia," Hanson says.Hanson has also made a foray into the COVID-19 vaccine debate, and boasted that she told people not to get the vaccine during the pandemic.That's despite official health advice saying the vaccine is the best protection against severe illness and death from coronavirus."I didn't get it [the COVID-19 vaccine]. I told everyone don't put that s**t into your body," Hanson says."I said it on TV numerous times, I told them."Asked if there is alternative media in Australia, Hanson says the News Corp-owned Sky News "give us a good run" and says "they're good".She says podcasts, such as the one started by former Today breakfast host Karl Stefanovic, are tapping into the people's sentiment and says the current mainstream media is losing ratings."I don't care about the media, so I don't put up with them anymore. People are waking up."And that's the end of Pauline Hanson's appearance on the Tommy Robinson podcast.Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:09amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 8:09amHanson says she's banned ABC, says Channel Nine has become 'woke'Pauline Hanson and Tommy Robinson. (Credit: Spotify)One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she has banned the ABC because she says she thinks the public broadcaster is "bias".Hanson has also criticised Channel Nine, saying the network has become "woke" in the last few years and has stopped having her on their programs."I banned them, the ABC, I banned them in 1996 for eight months from any of my meetings, and I've done it recently too," she says."If you cannot tell the truth and if you want to cut and splice what I'm saying, don't come near me again. I'm not interested. I don't need their publicity."The One Nation leader says she connects with her supporters through Facebook and through in-person meetings.Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:55amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:55amHanson says she would impose ban on immigration from 'radical Islamic countries'One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she'll stop immigration from "radical Islamic countries" and ban the burka in Australia.Speaking on Tommy Robinson's podcast, Hanson says she would introduce a ban, similar to that of the United States, on migration from selected Muslim-majority countries.After returning to office, US President Donald Trump imposed a ban on citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.She has also suggested that, under a government led by her, One Nation would remove religious clerics "spewing hate speech". "Pull them up, stop them," she says.But she has admitted that she couldn't do that if the clerics were Australian citizens.She has turned her attention to Muslim immigrants having children."They are having children because, you know what, in the Koran, it says Allah will provide; well, the Allah providing is the taxpayer."Well, guess what, I've had enough."Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:44amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:44amHanson claims 'a lot' of migrants are moving to Australia 'purely' for the welfare systemWe're still getting through Pauline Hanson's interview with Tommy Robinson and she's touched on immigration and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).Hanson says while many post-World War II migrants from Europe who came to Australia didn't speak English, they "assimilated" into Australia.She says that changed in 1973 when the Australian government officially ended the White Australia policy under Gough Whitlam."They opened it up and got rid of the White Australia policy, then they started bringing in the different migrants," Hanson says.Hanson says over the decades "a lot" of people have migrated to Australia "purely" for the welfare system or to move onto the NDIS.The One Nation leader has claimed, without providing evidence, that a lot of the people moving onto the NDIS are "from the Muslim areas", but says Australians have as well.She has claimed that she approached the former opposition leader with concerns that there is Sharia law in Australia."I said we've got Sharia law that's happening in Australia, I said they're getting married, multiple marriages and I said then they're having their kids and we're supporting them," she says."With me, I'm not going to allow that to go on, I'll stop it."Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:11amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:11am'She is the future': Hanson talks daughter's future in One Nation in new podcastPauline Hanson has declared her daughter, Lee Hanson, has the "potential" to lead One Nation, but says she will have to prove herself.The One Nation leader made the comments in a podcast released early this morning with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson.Hanson recently visited the UK on a trip where she met with Robinson, a prominent anti-Islam and anti-migration activist who has been convicted of fraud, assault and has been jailed.The One Nation says her daughter gets it and is "frightened" about where Australia is going and that her daughter has expressed an interest in entering politics."She's the future. She's, I'm, I'm like this, [slaps fist] this me. Whereas she's got the softer approach," Hanson says.Asked by Robinson if her daughter could be a future leader of One Nation, Hanson says she has the potential but needs to prove herself."She's got the potential but I don't believe in nepotism an she has to prove herself not only to me, but also to the other members and to the public and everything like that. That's something she has to earn."The podcast was published not long ago so we're still working through it. We'll bring you any other important parts of the as soon as we get across them!Fri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:06amFri 17 Jul 2026 at 7:06amGood morning 👋Hello and welcome to our federal politics live blog. It's FRIYAAYYYYYYY which means it's nearly the weekend. We're nearly there! Thanks for joining me!I'm Josh Boscaini joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, here and ready to bring you all o today's federal politics news.Pauline Hanson has declared her daughter Lee Hanson is the "future" and has the "potential" to lead One Nation.The One Nation leader made the comments in a podcast with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson following the Queensland senator's recent trip to the UK.Let's get right into the day!