Who paid for Pauline Hanson's trip to Europe? Not taxpayers, she says

Lead

Pauline Hanson has defended her recent trip to Europe, insisting it did not cost taxpayers "one cent," while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused her of "talking Australia down" during her appearances at conservative events abroad.

The One Nation leader returned to Australia and spoke publicly for the first time on Tuesday, addressing criticism of her travel and of several anti-immigration comments she made while away. Her remarks came as Albanese, speaking during a visit to Tiwi Island on Sunday, urged Australian representatives to "talk Australia up" when overseas.

Coverage comparison

Two Australian and international news outlets covered the story with differing emphases. ABC Australia focused on Hanson's defense of her trip and her immigration policies, presenting the development in a neutral tone. The Guardian's coverage centred on Albanese's criticism and framed Hanson's comments as a cause for concern, using language such as "far-right" and "talking Australia down."

The two outlets reported overlapping facts: that Hanson attended the CPAC conference in London, recorded a podcast with Tommy Robinson, and was travelling with mining magnate Gina Rinehart. However, they drew different conclusions about the significance of these events, with The Guardian highlighting the political backlash and ABC Australia giving more weight to Hanson's own justification.

Key claims

Trip funding

Hanson said her trip to Europe was not funded by taxpayers, asserting that it cost them "one cent" — a claim reported by ABC Australia. She did not, however, reveal how the trip was funded. The One Nation leader spent more than a week abroad, speaking at two conservative conferences in the UK and attending a fashion show in Italy with Rinehart, with whom she was also seen poolside at a luxury hotel in Sicily.

Political appearances

Hanson attended the CPAC conference in London at the weekend, as reported by The Guardian. She also recorded a podcast with Tommy Robinson, described by The Guardian as a "far-right activist" and by ABC Australia as a "far-right, anti-Islamic activist" whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who has an extensive criminal record. During her appearance on the podcast, Hanson discussed immigration, including the dismantling of the White Australia Policy.

Albanese's criticism

Albanese criticised Hanson for "talking Australia down" during her tour, according to The Guardian. He said that when he represents Australia overseas, he talks the country up and is proud of what the nation has created. He stated it is the responsibility of all representatives, "no matter where they stand in the parliament," to be proud of Australia when abroad.

Immigration comments

Hanson made several inflammatory anti-immigration remarks during her trip, as reported by ABC Australia. She argued that immigration should end from "certain countries that wear the burqa" and from "radical Islamic countries," but later said she was not advocating for a return of the White Australia Policy. One Nation's policy includes banning migrants from "nations known to foster extremist ideologies," and its policy statement nominates Gaza as a region from where migrants would be barred, though it does not mention other areas specifically.

When a journalist suggested her policies were a version of the White Australia Policy, Hanson responded: "No, it's got nothing to do with that. Don't go there with me."

Other figures

ABC Australia reported that Barnaby Joyce commented on deportations, though the details of his remarks were not provided in the coverage seen.

Perspectives

Pauline Hanson

Hanson defended her trip and her immigration stance, insisting the travel was not publicly funded and rejecting comparisons to the White Australia Policy. She described Rinehart as a "very proud, patriotic Australian" who supports One Nation because she sees the same values in the party.

Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister criticised Hanson for not representing Australia positively overseas, saying she should "talk Australia up" rather than "talk Australia down." He emphasised pride in the nation and the responsibility of representatives to project that pride abroad.