Overview
- Pauline Hanson addressed CPAC’s exclusive Circle Retreat and Gala at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, where she was the only Australian speaker at an event with tickets priced from about US$5,000 to US$25,000.
- In her speech she lauded President Donald Trump, backed steep tariffs, rejected net-zero targets as a “hoax,” and urged lifting Australia’s defence spending to 5% under AUKUS.
- She depicted Australia as an “economic and social tinderbox,” attacked both Labor and the Coalition, and accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of creating a “socialist nightmare.”
- Hanson missed roughly a fortnight of parliamentary sittings to attend the multi-day forum and was photographed alongside mining magnate Gina Rinehart, including at Trump’s Halloween event.
- Her claim that Australia is taking “up to 740,000” migrants a year was challenged by recent ABS data reported in the coverage that places net overseas migration in the 300,000–400,000 range, as One Nation cites polling of 12–15% and Barnaby Joyce is reported to be weighing a switch.