By JOANNA HYNDS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and ANDREW STAFFORD FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pauline Hanson has launched a fiery attack on the Coalition, describing Angus Taylor as a ‘smarmy management consultant’ while saying she would still be prepared to work with the opposition to get rid of the Albanese government.
The One Nation leader made the comments during a Q&A with former Today host Karl Stefanovic at the Conservative Political Action Conference Australia (CPAC Australia) at Brisbane‘s Royal International Convention Centre on Saturday.
Hanson described Taylor as a ‘smarmy management consultant’ who was not fit to replace Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
‘The Liberals signed us up to Paris and Net Zero. The Liberals legislated the safeguard mechanism, and Labor locked the targets into law and made them even worse,’ she said, according to ABC News.
‘They signed us up to this mess, so why would we trust them to get us out of it?’
She also criticised the Coalition for creating the office of the eSafety Commissioner, which she has vowed to abolish, arguing it infringes on free speech online.
‘So when the Liberals stand up here and talk about free speech, ask them one question: “Who put Karen in charge?”‘ she said.
‘Then ask yourself if you trust their answer. Only a One Nation government can be trusted to scrap the eSafety Commissioner.’
Pauline Hanson criticised the Coalition, branding Opposition Leader Angus Taylor a ‘smarmy management consultant’ at CPAC Australia
Nationals Leader Matt Canavan – wearing a high-vis vest – later reminded Senator Hanson she had vowed to see Taylor removed from his seat. Pictured with Hanson and Karl Stefanovic
Angus Taylor denied he was ‘splitting the conservative vote’ during his appearance
Despite her criticism, Hanson said she had forgiven the Liberal Party for its treatment of her in the past, urging others to put personal grievances aside for the sake of the country.
‘One Nation will work with the Liberals and Nationals to remove this horrible Labor government and deliver something better,’ she said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I know what it means to put personal history aside and turn the other cheek. The Liberal Party threw me out, then they threw me in jail.
‘I do have reasons to hold a grudge but I also have children and grandchildren.
‘If I can put personal grievances aside for the sake of this country, others should be able to do the same.’
Nationals Leader Matt Canavan, wearing a high-vis vest, later reminded Senator Hanson she had vowed to see Taylor removed from his seat during the Q&A.
After praising people wearing high-vis as the hardest-working in the country, he made a joke about the vest’s colour, a reference to One Nation’s choice of orange.
Stefanovic, who thanked the event for ‘rudely interrupting my unemployment’, referring to his termination by Nine in June, hugged both guests as they took the stage before asking when Australian conservatives would ‘get their s*** together’.
Stefanovic thanked the event for ‘rudely interrupting my unemployment’, referring to his termination by Nine in June
Outside, a loud gathering of rainbow-coloured protesters gathered near the venue and attempted to disrupt the event
Canavan said the parties were in competition but were ‘big enough and ugly enough’ to come together and spoke about the glory days of Australian manufacturing.
‘We need to get back to making things in this country,’ he said, and then said that included babies.
But he added that he and wife Andrea already had five and had done their bit for national productivity.
Interviewing Taylor separately, Stefanovic asked him whether he or Hanson would call the shots if the Liberals and One Nation were required to work together after an election.
‘I know you’re obsessed with this,’ Taylor replied, as the room briefly erupted in jeers, drowning him out.
He denied he was ‘splitting the conservative vote’ after the podcast host pointed to what he described as ‘undeniable support for One Nation’ in the room.
‘I’m splitting nothing. What’s splitting the country is the Labor Government,’ he added.
Notably absent from the event was Taylor’s leadership rival Andrew Hastie, who has vowed never to work with One Nation.
Taylor used his address to promise to scrap Australia’s commitment to Net Zero under the Paris Agreement and reduce migration levels.
He also said he was happy to stand in front of three flags ‘as long as they are all Australian flags’.
Outside, a loud gathering of rainbow-coloured protesters gathered near the venue and attempted to disrupt the event.
