One Nation leader Pauline Hanson believes planned protests ahead of a sundowner to be held in Perth’s east on Wednesday evening show the party is gaining traction in Western Australia.
Hanson is due to speak at a sold-out event at the Crooked Spire in Midland, with an open agenda likely to touch on the federal budget, negative gearing, as well as migration and climate change.
The $70-per-head sundowner is already drawing controversy, with a protest planned in Midland this afternoon ahead of Hanson’s arrival. The protest is organised in part by the WA Greens,
Hanson told 6PR’s Simon Beaumont that people had a right to have their say on politics, but believed protests targeted at One Nation were often “full of aggression”.
“They’re not peaceful protesters, they’re usually full of aggression, and that’s the type that out there pushing their own agenda in Australia, and I think it’s wrong,” she said.
“But it means that One Nation is making inroads, doesn’t it? Really means that we’re hurting those ones that like the status quo and still driving the country into the ground.
“I think we’re all absolutely blown away by this support that’s coming in for One Nation.
“It clearly tells you people aren’t against One Nation, they really want One Nation, they want the Labor Party gone. That’s why people are donating to the party to give us a war chest to actually fight the Labor Party.”
WA Greens MLC Sophie McNeill said the party was a “peaceful and inclusive movement”, while Hanson had spent three decades “spewing her hate-filled, divisive brand of politics, which we are proud to oppose tonight in Midland”.
“Pauline Hanson is being funded by billionaire Gina Rinehart who wants us to turn on each other instead of asking why [Rinehart] is worth $36 billion while the rest of us are struggling to pay our rent or mortgage,” she said.
Speaking at a press conference this morning, WA Premier Roger Cook said he had no concerns about the One Nation event quickly selling out of tickets, but played down their chances at the polls.
“We welcome Pauline Hanson to Western Australia, but One Nation, they talk up a big game,” he said.
“But they’ve got nothing to offer the people of Western Australia.”
It comes after WA Opposition leader Basil Zempilas flagged earlier this week that he would be open to working with One Nation in a bid to oust the Labor government ahead of the next election.
Speaking as the guest of honour at Monday’s Leadership Matters breakfast at Crown Perth, Zempilas acknowledged One Nation’s upward surge following recent poll results showing the party had overtaken the federal government in popularity.
The opposition leader said the recent polls showed there was a level of frustration with the current state of politics within Australia.
“What you cannot deny and what you cannot ignore is that currently 30 per cent of the Australian – and likely West Australian – population are suggesting they could or would vote for One Nation,” he said.
“In our position, you have to consider everything that is in front of you, and there’s a very significant movement towards One Nation in this state and around Australia.”
However, this morning Cook said any alliance between the state Liberal Party and One Nation was purely hypothetical.
“All [One Nation is] about is combining with the Liberals to sow division and hatred in our community, and to cut services and privatise public services,” he said.
“They’re not here to bring prosperity, they’re not here to bring policies, they’re simply here to sow division and resentment, and as a result of that, division in the community.”
Speaking on 6PR, Hanson said the party had installed a strong vetting process to make sure the party had the best possible candidates for WA.
“We’ve actually got a new vetting process now, it’s extremely hardcore vetting of candidates that we’ve got standing for us now,” she said.
“So far, for the next federal election, we’ve had 1500 people who want to be candidates.
“Our next Senate candidate for WA, you’ll be highly impressed with him as well, who I will be putting up as a Senate candidate.
“I’m not just going after those academics, I want those tradies, want people out there who have a passion and want to represent their country.”
