Pauline Hanson, leader of Australia's One Nation party, has detailed her priorities for the first 100 days in office should her party win the next federal election. Key proposals include ending Welcome to Country ceremonies in government and public schools, significantly reducing immigration, and withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Hanson articulated these plans during a recent appearance on News24's Paul Murray Live, responding to a question about her government's initial actions. She stated her intention to abolish Welcome to Country ceremonies within government departments and educational institutions, expressing a personal belief against their practice.
"I do not believe in having Welcome to Country," Hanson said. "You can't stop people if businesses want to do it, all right. But in government departments, I wouldn't have a Welcome to Country on the bottom of their literature or their sheets of paper they put out or government websites. I wouldn't be having it in educational system schools. I'd shut it all down."
Reducing immigration is another central tenet of Hanson's agenda. She proposed a target of approximately 130,000 immigrants annually, arguing that while skilled workers like doctors and nurses are necessary, a lower intake would alleviate Australia's housing crisis. "Cutting back immigration will address the housing issue that we have," she stated.
On climate policy, Hanson vowed to dismantle Australia's net zero commitment and eliminate the climate change department. "Get rid of all that net zero rubbish. Get out of the Paris Agreement," she declared. She contends that these actions would lower the cost of living and electricity prices, thereby benefiting households and industries.
Hanson also pointed to what she described as "wasteful" government spending as the primary driver of Australia's current economic struggles, rather than international conflicts. She pledged to scrutinize government expenditure to ease the cost of living and remove regulatory "red, green, black and blue tape" to boost business productivity and national sovereignty.
Further policy intentions include an overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to address perceived rorting, and a full investigation into the childcare system, which she noted costs taxpayers $16 billion annually.
Recent polling data from the News24 Pulse/YouGov poll indicates that while the incumbent Labor government is on track for a third term, One Nation has dropped one point to 25 percent. The Coalition stands at 22 percent. Despite this, Hanson expressed confidence in her party's prospects for the upcoming 2028 election, including a plan to field candidates in every federal seat. She noted a significant number of expressions of interest for candidate positions, suggesting a robust selection process is in place.