Hanson Speaks at Migration Rally, Vows Not to Back Down From Hate Speech Laws

BRISBANE, Australia—As a prop coffin made its way through the cheering crowd, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson vowed never to back down even if newly passed hate speech laws were used against conservative opposition like her.

The empty coffin, supposed to represent the death of “foreign lobbying,” was carried towards the stage at Brisbane’s “Australia Marches” rally, one of several events—the others hosted by the March for Australia—across the nation’s cities on Australia Day.

Addressing the Brisbane crowd, Senator Hanson said she would remain dedicated to representing Australians.

“Not the globalists, not the people who want to just use you to wipe their boots on, that’s not what Australia is about,” she said.

“That’s why we have so many people that want to come to Australia to flee the countries that is nothing but stripping them of their freedom, their democracy, their way of life and decency.

“We still have that here, but slowly it’s been eroded from us … hate speech laws that were passed last week. It distresses me where that may end. We can never give up our freedom of speech. We can never give up our opinion to speak up.”

Hanson referred to concerns presented by professor and constitutional lawyer Anne Twomey, who said some provisions in the laws were too broad or loosely defined and that in the future—barring High Court intervention—it could be used to quash dissent.

“She said those laws can be used against a minor political party to have a go at them, to stop them in their policies,” Hanson said.

“You know, a question about immigration, question about multiculturalism, a question about where we’re going as a nation, our freedom of speech. I will not let them stop me. I will keep going.”

Hanson also quoted Don Chipp, the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats.

“He said, ‘I’m going to keep the bastards honest,’ but I tell you what, mate, I intend to get rid of the bastards,” she said.

Hanson also accused the Albanese Labor government of bringing in about 15,060 people per day under current immigration policy.

One Nation has enjoyed a surge of support in the polls since the May federal election last year with a survey just last week revealing the minor conservative party had overtaken the traditional centre-right Liberal Party in the polls for the first time ever.

“I will question everything. I want accountability,” Hanson pledged. “I want to know where the money’s going. I want to see where the corruption is.”

“Open up industries, manufacturing, create jobs out there, give hope for our future generations. They will have the ability to own their own home. That is important to our future generations.”

Australia Day celebrates the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 and the start of British colonisation.

‘Don’t Try to Change Australia’: Senator Babet

United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet also spoke, talking about how he moved to Australia as a young migrant.

“The media is going to try and denigrate us tonight,” he told the crowd.

“They’re going to say we’re ‘anti-immigration,’ they’re going to say we’re ‘racist,’ but nothing could be further from the truth.

“Every single speaker that comes on this stage today at one stage was an immigrant, but it must be sustainable, it must be merit-based and it must enhance the values we already have that have built this country to what it is today.”

Babet said immigration should not be used as a “political tool” to garner votes.

“If you come to Australia, don’t try to change Australia,” he said. “Join the great Australian story.”

Prime Minister Calls for Unity Amid Polarised World

While many celebrated Australia Day, the alternate “Invasion Day” rally was also held around the country with many chanting for an expansion of Aboriginal land rights, and calls to change the official date of Australia Day.

Yet a Resolve Political Monitor poll found support for keeping Jan. 26 as Australia Day was at 68 percent, up from 56 percent in 2024, and 47 percent in 2023, as reported by AAP.

In an interview with ABC radio, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia can overcome increasing division.

“There are challenges that the whole world is dealing with,” he said. “The whole world is dealing with the algorithms driving polarisation through social media.

“The whole world’s dealing with clickbait, leading to more dramatic headlines than actually the story represents, but overwhelmingly, we’re a harmonious nation.”

Albanese said the government’s anti-hate speech laws, passed this month, would help “deal with it.”

The prime minister said the immigration marches were organised by those were seeking to divide.

“What we need is more unity, less division. What we need is more hope, less fear. What we need is a positive agenda going forward,” he said.

“And unless you are a First Nations person, then you are either a migrant yourself or a descendant of one in this country.”