Pauline Hanson will address the National Press Club for the first time in her 30-year political career, a symbolic marker of One Nation's extraordinary political resurgence. The National Press Club has hosted the country's foremost political leaders since the 1960s, including every prime minister and opposition leader over the past 40 years.
Historic Address Scheduled
Ms Hanson, who has never spoken at the institution, has been booked to deliver the 'Leaders Address to the National Press Club' on June 17. The event will be hosted by National Press Club President and Sky News Chief Election Analyst Tom Connell. Ahead of the appearance, Mr Connell told SkyNews.com.au that 'Pauline Hanson has captured the attention of the nation'. 'The National Press Club is where politicians come to flesh out their policies and ideas, and for journalists to examine their bona fides,' Mr Connell said. 'It's her first appearance at the club in her 30-year political career and there has already been great interest in what she will have to say.'
One Nation's Rise
The National Press Club of Australia has billed Ms Hanson as one of the country's 'most recognisable political leaders' after more than a generation in politics. The announcement marks a major moment for Ms Hanson, whose often-fraught relationship with the media has defined much of her three-decade career. 'For more than a generation, Pauline Hanson has been one of Australia's most recognisable political leaders,' the National Press Club said in its event description. 'Pauline's entry into federal politics was a controversial one which saw her and One Nation become targets for Australia's political establishment. Through all of this, Pauline never lost sight of her goal: to be a strong voice for the Australian people in the halls of power, to stand up for the interests of Australia first. Senator Hanson now leads a resurgent One Nation party which has recently achieved historic success at elections in 2026.'
One Nation won its first lower house seat at the Farrer by-election, when David Farley stormed to victory in a seat that had been held by the Coalition for more than 70 years. It now holds two lower house seats after former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce defected from the Nationals. There has been a dramatic political shift since the 2025 election, which has seen One Nation eclipse both Labor and the Coalition in the latest Sky News Pulse polling. In the exclusive survey, One Nation led the national primary vote for the first time in history on 29 per cent - a 23-point increase from the 2025 federal election. The result put Ms Hanson's party ahead of Labor on 26 per cent and the Coalition on 20 per cent.
Prime Ministerial Ambitions
The momentum has emboldened the One Nation leader, who has declared she is ready to become prime minister and will consider running for the lower house in 2028. 'Do I want to be Prime Minister? Well, I tell you what, I won't knock the job because I believe that I have the ability to do it,' she told Sky News. The invitation to address the National Press Club comes amid her combative relationship with sections of the media, particularly the ABC. One Nation blocked ABC journalists from attending a press event during the Farrer by-election campaign following disputes over the broadcaster's coverage of One Nation. 'They've been very biased towards me for many years, even back in 1996 when I was first elected,' Ms Hanson recently told Sky News. She was also caught in a hot-mic moment at the Australian Energy Producers conference when she called a journalist a 'nasty b*tch'.
Political Reactions
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party have continued to dismiss Ms Hanson as 'divisive' and described her as appealing to 'dark forces'. 'Pauline Hanson appeals to our darkest forces. I want to appeal to light and to optimism and to unity,' Mr Albanese said recently. 'Pauline Hanson has made a whole career of dividing Australians, whether it be Asian Australians, Muslim Australians, Indigenous Australians. She looks for people to blame who she regards as not being like her, and she seeks to amplify grievances rather than look for solutions.' Ms Hanson told Sky News the Albanese government was the worst she had ever seen, and that the country was in a 'mess' under Mr Albanese's leadership. 'This government, the Albanese Labor Government is the worst government I have ever seen,' she said. 'This isn't the country that I grew up in.... So whether it's Pauline Hanson as Prime Minister or (someone else), we've got to have someone else take on that job. (Australians) are hurting so much. They want truth, honesty, they want clear policies. And if you think I haven't got policies, go and look at my website.'
