One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has declared she has the ambition and ability to serve as Australia's Prime Minister, as the far-right politician confirms she is considering a run for the House of Representatives in the next federal election.
Speaking on Sky News Sunday Agenda, Senator Hanson stated she believes she has the capacity to take on the nation's top job. 'I won't knock the job ... I'm not going to underestimate myself or say 'No, I can't do it', because you know, have a look at what we've got now ... and that's why we're in a mess,' she said.
Lower House Run 'In the Mix'
Senator Hanson earlier told the same program that a lower house run is 'in the mix' for the 2028 election. 'But I'm not making a decision now, and I'm not going to tell anyone what I'm doing at this moment, because I haven't clearly made up my mind,' she said.
The Prime Minister is elected from the lower house as the leader of the party that secures the most seats in the House of Representatives. One Nation has experienced a rapid rise in recent polls, with the latest figures from Redbridge Group and Accent Research suggesting the party could win up to 59 seats if an election were held in May, unseating the Coalition in every state except New South Wales, Victoria, and the Northern Territory.
Polling Predictions
The polling predicts Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has a 98 per cent chance of losing his seat of Hume to a One Nation candidate, while the Nationals would be entirely wiped out of the lower house, retaining zero MPs. The Liberals would hold only seven seats, according to the modelling, meaning One Nation would become the federal opposition.
Senator Hanson attributed the results, along with the party's landslide win in the Farrer by-election, to an 'undercurrent' of discontent among Australian voters. 'People are fed up and they want change,' she said. 'It's not just about Coalition, it's about Labor, it's about the Greens, it's about everyone. (Australians) are hurting so much. They want truth.'
Controversial Remarks on Muslims
When asked about her controversial 'no good Muslims' remarks, Senator Hanson stood by her comments, stating she would 'stick with what I said.' She subsequently did not rule out clamping down on Muslim immigration. 'I want to ban the burqa, right? So if you've got people coming from these countries that are radical Islamists and their ideology is not compatible with our country, (then) yes, I do,' she said.
According to 2021 census data, Australian Muslims make up approximately 3.2 per cent of the national population. Senator Hanson was suspended in November after wearing a burqa on the floor of parliament for the second time in her career.
Senator Hanson went as far as endorsing a ban on immigration from 'certain countries,' echoing the so-called 'Muslim ban' enacted by US President Donald Trump. 'There's certain countries I probably would ban them coming into Australia,' she said.
Her 'no good Muslims' remark, made during a February Sky News appearance, drew severe backlash from the community and parliamentarians across the political spectrum, including Anthony Albanese, who argued that her rhetoric 'legitimises (Muslim hatred)'.
