At about 7.15pm Pauline Hanson arrived and was ushered through the cheering crowd. I was able to get some great photos of her - her calm exterior was quite astounding as, just moments before, she had been pelted by the hooligans outside with placards.It took her quite a while to work her way to the main table but the clapping never stopped. The evening began with the singing of the Australian National Anthem.
After the anthem she was soon signing a large number of books "The Truth" which looks at the issues and the inequities in Australia today.
(For a copy of this 240 page book send Au$20 and postage to: The Truth by Pauline Hanson, Pauline Hanson's One Nation, P.O. Box 428, IPSWICH, 4305 or phone: (07) 3281 5833 or fax (07) 3281 5960.)
The first course of dinner was pumpkin soup which was then followed by hot chicken and boiled potatoes. Imbetween courses I had time to go and meet some of Pauline Hanson’s staff:
 |  |  |
| David Thomas - Senior Advisor and Press Secretary, Ipswich Office | Cheyenne MacLeod, Barbara Hazelton (Private Secretary) and Heidi Lewis, Ipswich Office | Iris Whiteside (Secretary of Pauline Hanson Support Movement Inc on the Gold Coast.) |
It was a pleasant surprise to see Paul Filing (left), an Independent Member for Moore had flown all the way from Western Australian to be at the launch. Filing is considering joining One Nation saying, "My constituents elected me as an independent and that's how I intend remaining at the moment.
"But if there is enough support from all the people who put me where I am, I will consider joining One Nation"
One time Liberal stalwart Tony Pitt and his wife Pat (right) - (see Pat's letter to us) were there.
In the lead up to her speech the following pictures were taken, with yours truly crouched behind Pauline Hanson in the centre photograh:
Pauline Hanson's speech was very powerful and very well presented. She was continually interrupted by loud clapping and bellows of support from the audience.
You could feel that the vision of One Nation had taken root.... it was a very real force to be reckoned with.
A view echoed by the National Party State Director, Ken Crooke, who had said earlier in the day, "Yes, the effect could be quite serious and deliver government to the Labor Party if there's not a full distribution of preferences from these people who choose to support her party with their number one vote, and then walk out of the polling booth without distributing preferences."
A national survey taken last week revealed that if a Federal Election was to take place now she could claim up to 12 seats in the Senate - effectively nullifying the role of the Democrats.
Following her speech she was given a bouquet of flowers and was joined on the stage by her children.
The band sung a powerful rendition of "We are one, but we are many..." a song which is destined to become the theme tune for One Nation one feels...
Here is the chorus:
"We are one, but we are many,
And from all the lands on Earth we come,
To share a dream, and sing with one voice:
"I am, you are, we are Australian."
The audience joined in and many magical moments followed, a certain euphoria that here was an average, but very determined, ex-fish and chip shop owner who had shaken the political system to its roots and had now created a new party. Pauline and her new party's date with destiny had begun.... and we were there to see it!
What followed was sweets, coffee and a mini-auction with the 00001 membership of the Pauline Hanson One Nation party being actively sought after and eventually being sold to an unidentified gentleman (left) for Au$1,800 and the first copy of only two hard copy books of Pauline Hanson's The Truth (signed of course - see pic on right) being sold to the writer for Au$290.
A steal... (I know!)
Return to launch of Pauline Hanson's One Nation